Luis Edison Capellan-Ortiz, a 49-year-old Dominican man, was sentenced to time served by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier on April 29, 2025. Capellan-Ortiz, who had been in custody since his arrest on October 20, 2024, admitted to reentering the U.S. illegally after being previously deported.
The court records revealed that Capellan-Ortiz crossed the United States-Canada border into Vermont on October 20, 2024, near Jay, Vermont, where U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended him. An inquiry by the agents uncovered that a U.S. Immigration Judge ordered Capellan-Ortiz's removal in May 2023, and he was subsequently deported to the Dominican Republic that same month. His return to the U.S. without authorization constituted a legal violation.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher acknowledged the investigative work of the U.S. Border Patrol in this case.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Gilman, with Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara M. Puls representing Capellan-Ortiz.