El Salvadoran National Involved in Bridgeport Shooting Death Sentenced for Immigration Offense

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DOUGLAS ALEXANDER RIVAS, 38, a citizen of El Salvador, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to six months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the U.S.  Judge Underhill ordered Rivas to begin serving the prison term after he completes an unrelated state sentence connected to a Bridgeport homicide in 2016.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2003, Rivas was convicted in Connecticut state court of misdemeanor offenses, including criminal trespass in the first degree, criminal mischief in the second degree, and reckless endangerment in the first degree.  For these convictions, he received an 11-month suspended sentence and three years of probation.  In March 2007, Rivas was removed to El Salvador.

Rivas subsequently illegally reentered the U.S.

On April 25, 2017, Rivas was arrested, in Florida, in connection with the shooting death of a 36-year old man at the El Paraiso Restaurant in Bridgeport on September 25, 2016.  On November 8, 2019, Rivas pleaded guilty in state court to manslaughter in the first degree, and criminal possession of a firearm.

On January 6, 2020, Rivas pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of illegal reentry by a removed alien.

Rivas has been detained since April 25, 2017.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.