Ecuadorian National Indicted for Illegal Reentry

BOSTON – An Ecuadorian man residing in Lawrence, Mass. has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.

Gilberto Avila-Jara, 66, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Avila-Jara was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on April 1, 2025.

According to the indictment, Avila-Jara was deported from the United States on June 2, 1996. It is alleged that sometime after his June 1996 removal, Avila-Jara illegally reentered the United States without permission.

The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year 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 Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes 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.