Former Norwalk Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering U.S.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MIGUEL ANGEL ARCOS-VASQUEZ, also known as “Dimas Fernando Herrarte,” 26, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to one count of illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.  ARCOS-VASQUEZ, a citizen of either Mexico or Guatemala, last resided in Norwalk.

According to court documents and statements made in court, ARCOS-VASQUEZ illegally entered the U.S. in or before 2014.  In March 2014, he was arrested by the Stratford Police Department for a burglary offense.  In April 2014, he also was charged with failure to appear.  He was not encountered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at this time.

In January 2016, ARCOS-VASQUEZ attempted to enter the U.S. three times through Texas, but was removed to Mexico after each attempt.

On January 24, 2017, ARCOS-VASQUEZ was arrested by the Stamford Police Department on charges of threatening in the first degree.  On January 27, 2017, under the name of Dimas Herrarte-Ramirez, he was charged by the Norwalk Police Department with sale of a hallucinogen/narcotic and criminal possession of a firearm.  ARCOS-VASQUEZ has been detained since that time, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was notified.

Chief Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for November 14, 2018, at which time ARCOS-VASQUEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.

In October 2017, the state charges against ARCOS-VASQUEZ were resolved and he is currently serving a state sentence of five years of imprisonment, execution suspended after two years.

Immigration authorities are in the process of determining if ARCOS-VASQUEZ is a citizen of Mexico or Guatemala.

This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.