Former Boston Woman Sentenced for Failing to Appear to Serve a Federal Prison Sentence

BOSTON – A former Boston woman, who was sentenced to federal prison in 2021 for misuse of a passport, was sentenced today to failing to surrender to serve her sentence. 

Yris Sanchez, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to a sentence of six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Today’s sentence will run concurrent with Sanchez’s 15-month sentence for misuse of a passport. She will be subject to deportation upon completion of her sentence. In December 2023, Sanchez pleaded guilty to failing to appear to serve a federal sentence. 

In May 2020, Sanchez was convicted of misusing a passport and was sentenced to 15 months in 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. Following several extensions of her self-report date, Sanchez failed to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons in June 2021 to serve her sentence. For approximately 20 months after her failure to report, Sanchez resided in the Dominican Republic where she posted various daily undertakings on Facebook, including trips to the beach, pool and social functions. In July 2021, the Court forfeited Sanchez’s secured appearance bond and entered a further default judgment of $47,500 against Sanchez.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.