United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

CITIZEN OF DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SENTENCED TO 25 MONTHS FOR ILLEGALLY REENTERING THE U.S. AFTER DEPORTATION

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARINO AVALO, 47, also known as “Jose Ventura” and “Carlos Irizarry,” a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 25 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States following his deportation.

According to court documents and statements made in court, AVALO was deported to the Dominican Republic in January 1993 and again in March 1995, both times after having been convicted of an aggravated felony involving the distribution of cocaine.  AVALO again illegally reentered the U.S. and was found in Connecticut on June 16, 2010, after he was arrested for using someone else’s name to apply for a driver’s license.

AVALO has been in custody since June 16, 2010.

On October 5, 2010, AVALO pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful presence in the U.S. following deportation.

AVALO again faces deportation after he completes the sentence imposed today.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert M. Spector and Jonathan S. Freimann.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov