Dominican National Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and Illegal Reentry

BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition and illegal reentry.

Twaldo Baez was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Upon completion of his sentence, Baez will be placed into removal proceedings and deported to the Dominican Republic. In February 2020, Baez pled guilty to being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition and illegal reentry.

Baez was first encountered by immigration officials in 2006 while he was serving a sentence for domestic assault and battery and breaking and entering. Upon completion of his sentence, Baez was deported to the Dominican Republic on Aug. 5, 2007.

Sometime after his 2007 removal, Baez illegally reentered the United States. In March 2019, Baez was encountered by law enforcement officers following a high-speed vehicle chase. The vehicle Baez was operating was eventually stopped. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, law enforcement recovered a 9mm semi-automatic firearm and 8 rounds of ammunition.  Baez was charged with by the state with possession of the firearm and ammunition. His prints were later obtained and found to match the prints on his 2007 removal. Baez appeared in the Lawrence District Court and was held on bail.  In September 2019, Baez posted bail, was then released to ICE, and has been in federal custody since.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Todd Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Lawrence Police Chief Roy Vasque; and Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.