Cuban Sentenced For Illegal Re-entry

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Rafael Cantin-Echevarria, 36, a citizen of Cuba who had been living in Stafford, Virginia, was sentenced on October 15, 2014 to serve 70 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States following removal by Senior United States District Court Judge Lawrence E. Kahn announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Patrol Agent in Charge Norman Lague of United States Border Patrol, Champlain Station. Cantin-Echevarria had pled guilty in June. Following the completion of the term of imprisonment, the Department of Homeland Security will process Cantin-Echevarria for removal from the United States.

In May 2014, United States Border Patrol agents arrested Cantin-Echevarria after he was found hiding in the woods south of the border near Champlain, New York. In September 2006, an immigration judge had ordered that Cantin-Echevarria be removed from the United States, but he remained in the country until March 2014 when he went to Canada.

The case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol, Champlain, NY, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Grogan.