Three Convicted and Deported Felons Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that three foreign nationals have been recently charged with illegally reentering the U.S. after being previously deported.

On November 10, 2025, FREDDY ALEXANDER MORALES TEJADA, 24, a citizen of El Salvador residing in Vernon, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court to illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.  According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2023, Morales Tejada was convicted and sentenced in Connecticut Superior Court of carrying a pistol without a permit and failure to appear in the first degree.  In February 2024, he was deported to El Salvador.  Morales Tejada unlawfully reentered the U.S. and was found in South Windsor on May 19, 2025, when he was arrested for engaging in a police pursuit, reckless driving, operating motor vehicle without license, and illegal operation of motor vehicle under suspension.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven on February 25, 2026, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  He has been detained since his federal arrest on October 23, 2025.

On November 3, 2025, IOAN ALIN ZELE, also known as Ioan Kanalos and Filippo Gaudenzi, 24, a citizen of Romania, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court to illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.  According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2023, Zele was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California of bank fraud and unlawful use of unauthorized access devices for his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain food stamp benefits by using skimming devices to clone other people’s food stamp (electronic benefits transfer) cards and then using those cloned cards to withdraw food stamp benefits.  He was sentenced to 16 months of imprisonment for the offense, and was removed to Romania in June 2024.  Zele unlawfully reentered the U.S. and, in December 2024, was arrested by Connecticut State Police under the name Ioan Kanalos and charged with computer crime third degree, fraudulent use of auto teller (ATM) card, larceny fourth degree, identity theft third degree, and illegal use of scanning device.  Zele pleaded guilty in Connecticut Superior Court and, after completing his state sentence, was arrested on October 2, 2025, on a federal criminal complaint charging him with illegally reentering the U.S.  He has been detained since his arrest and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden on February 24, 2026, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

On October 15, 2025, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging CARLOS CABRERA-ZARUMA, 45, a citizen of Ecuador residing in Danbury, with illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.  According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2008, Cabrera-Zaruma was convicted and sentenced in Connecticut Superior Court of sexual assault in the second degree against a victim under the age of 16, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  He was deported to Ecuador in September 2010. Cabrera-Zaruma subsequently unlawfully reentered the U.S. and returned to Connecticut.  He has been detained since his arrest on October 7, 2025.  U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

These matters are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.  The cases against Morales Tejada and Cabrera-Zaruma are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj. N. Patel, and the case against Zele is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis L. Beyerlein.

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.