CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A native of the Dominican Republic who previously entered the United States as an illegal migrant was found guilty of the same crime again in a federal court.
Kelvin Bautista Valdez, 35, of Santo Domingo, was sentenced to eight months of imprisonment by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy, on his conviction of illegal re-entry into the United States of a removed alien, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said.
According to court documents, on November 30, 2022, while conducting training operations in Brewers Bay, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers observed a vessel that they recognized from a previous smuggling operation involving undocumented migrants.
Officers later discovered Valdez among a group of undocumented migrants gathered at the shoreline awaiting transport to Puerto Rico.
A record check revealed that Valdez had previously entered the United States and was removed on two prior occasions. When interviewed, Valdez stated that he paid smugglers $26,000.00 cash for his transport to the United States.
The case was investigated by United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland
Security Investigations (HSI). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Payne and
Natasha L. Baker.