Former Boston Woman Arrested for Failing to Surrender to Serve Federal Sentence

BOSTON – A former Boston woman who was sentenced to federal prison in 2021 has been arrested for allegedly failing to surrender to serve her sentence.

Yris Sanchez, 51, was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2022 for failing to appear to serve a federal sentence and was arrested in Laredo, Texas on March 18, 2023. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston today, Sanchez was held pending further court proceedings on this charge and until she serves her prior sentence.   

According to court documents, Sanchez used the name and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to apply for and use various U.S. passports and at least one Massachusetts Real ID driver’s license. Sanchez also used this person’s identifiers to apply for and use accounts with various banks, including Citizens Bank and Santander. In addition, Sanchez also used a different identity to obtain another U.S. Passport. Sanchez has previously been arrested under multiple identities.

In May 2020, Sanchez was convicted of misusing a passport and was sentenced to 15 months of prison. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanchez requested release on conditions and to self-report to serve her sentence. The Court granted this request and released Sanchez on an appearance bond. It is alleged that, following several extensions of her self-report date, Sanchez failed to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons in June 2021 to serve her sentence. In July 2021, the Court forfeited Sanchez’s secured appearance bond and entered a further default judgment of $47,500 against Sanchez.

The charge of failure to surrender provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence on this charge will be served consecutively to the sentence imposed on her prior case. 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 Rachael S. Rollins; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of Rollins’ Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case.

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