Reginald Adam Velasquez, a 34-year-old citizen of Belize, was sentenced on July 14 to 14 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier after pleading guilty to lying about his immigration status while attempting to purchase a firearm in Vermont, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont.
Court records show that Velasquez illegally entered the United States in 2022 and was later paroled into the country. In early 2025, he failed to comply with his parole terms and his immigration proceedings were terminated. Approximately nine months later, in late 2025, Velasquez attempted to buy a firearm from a federal firearms licensee in Vermont. During this attempt, he filled out an ATF Form 4473 and knowingly lied about his immigration status. Following his arrest, investigators found that during the summer and fall of 2025, Velasquez was involved in drug dealing activities in Vermont and had traded a firearm for drugs.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt said he commended “the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Border Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn. Velasquez was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.
The prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative described as marshaling Department of Justice resources “to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.” The U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont enforces federal criminal laws and handles civil litigation on behalf of the United States; it also supports community safety through efforts to reduce crime and protect victims while fostering partnerships with law enforcement agencies at all levels across Vermont, according to its official website.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office maintains offices in Burlington and Rutland.