A Brazilian national, Rafael De Jesus-Ribeiro, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly reentering the United States illegally after being deported. The 39-year-old faces one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained De Jesus-Ribeiro on January 13, 2025, and he is expected to appear in federal court in Boston at a future date.
The indictment claims that De Jesus-Ribeiro was deported from the U.S. on July 17, 2019. It is alleged that he returned to the country without permission sometime after his removal in July 2019.
If convicted, the charge of unlawful reentry could result in a sentence of up to two years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and a fine reaching $250,000. After serving any imposed sentence, De Jesus-Ribeiro will face deportation proceedings. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
United States Attorney Leah Foley and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director for Boston's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations announced the indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins from the Major Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
It is important to note that all details within the charging documents are allegations at this stage. De Jesus-Ribeiro remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.