Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry and Possession of a Firearm

BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegal reentry and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.

Twaldo Baez, 37, a Dominican national who was previously removed from the United States after being convicted of a felony in 2007, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry and being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2020.

On March 31, 2019, Baez was arrested in Lawrence following a high-speed motor vehicle chase. During the chase, Baez, who was originally operating the vehicle, switched from the driver’s seat to the front passenger seat. After the vehicle was stopped and the occupants were removed from the vehicle, a loaded Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 8 rounds of 9mm ammunition were recovered. During a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Baez admitted to possessing the firearm and ammunition, his alienage, and that he illegally reentered the United States after his removal in 2007.

The charge of being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release. The charge of illegal reentry provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison and one year of supervised release.  Baez will face removal proceedings following his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lawrence Police Chief Roy P. Vasque made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.