Dominican National Charged with Illegal Reentry

BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Lawrence, Mass. has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Jose Alberto Tejeda Turbi, 46, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Tejeda Turbi will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

In July 2015, Tejeda Turbi was convicted in federal court in Boston of heroin distribution and conspiracy, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. Tejeda Turbi was deported from the United States in March 2020 upon his completion of the sentence imposed.

According to the charging documents, sometime after his March 2020 removal, Tejeda Turbi illegally reentered the United States without permission.

In June 2024, Tejeda Turbi was sentenced in Lawrence District Court to two years in prison for assault and battery resulting in serious bodily injury and three years of probation for remaining charges.

The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad A. Rocheville of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.