An illegal immigrant accused of rape and sexual assault of up to 17 victims is facing trial in America after pulling out of a plea deal. Mexican national Carlos Nava, 49 is accused of a spate of violent sex attacks over a period of two decades.

Nava is in the US after entering illegally, despite being deported at least eight times. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that he was last deported in 2020 and has prior removals for domestic violence and battery. According to court records, the 49-year-old entered into an Alford plea to one count of sexual assault with a deadly weapon on July 30.

The plea allows a defendant to acknowledge prosecutors likely have enough evidence for a conviction without admitting guilt.

In Nava’s case, such a deal would have resulted in eight other charges against him being dropped.

But his decision to withdraw from the deal means that those charges will now be reinstated against him.

According to the Nevada Globe, Clark County Deputy District Attorney Julia Barker told the court Nava may be connected to as many as 17 assaults.

Six victims have been identified, while 11 others remain anonymous, including two people who were minors at the time.

Ms Barker said: "It’s really hard for someone to maintain ‘I didn’t do this’ when his sperm is in places that indicate he probably did."

Barker also said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police found 17 pairs of underwear “that were folded, kept in a backpack, which also had latex gloves in it and tied up with a rubber band.”

According to a court docket obtained by Fox News Digital, Nava had been facing a string of charges dating back to 2010.

Las Vegas police documents also show officers were looking for additional assault victims in 2022 and after one incident, Nava was spotted in a white ford truck.

The case shines a light on the entry of criminals into the United States across the southern border, an issue that Donald Trump has regularly claimed is highly prevalent.

The state of Nevada has seen more than 30,000 undocumented migrants move into the state between 2019 and 2023.

Governor of Nevada Joe Lombardo has publicly backed President Trump’s controversial anti-immigration measures to halt the flow of people entering from Mexico.

Mr Lombardo said: "We stand united in support of President Donald Trump’s unwavering commitment to make America safe again by addressing the illegal immigration crisis and deporting illegal immigrants who pose a threat to our communities and national security."