John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FREDDY ANTONIO MARTE-JEREZ, 58, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in Danbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to approximately 15 months of imprisonment, time served, for illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 1998, Marte’s wife filed an I-130 Petition for an Alien Relative with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (“INS") providing documentation that she was a U.S. citizen and that she and Marte were legally married. After the petition was approved, Marte filed an I-485 Application for Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status. This application was denied based on Marte’s failure to disclose a prior narcotics conviction in the State of Rhode Island. In November 2000, Marte appeared before an Immigration Judge in Hartford and was released on bond while awaiting a hearing date.
In October 2007, Marte was convicted in Danbury Superior Court for sale of illegal drugs. On March 3, 2010, following completion of his state sentence, he was deported to the Dominican Republic.
Marte illegally reentered the U.S. and was arrested while using the name “Antonio Nunez" in Danbury. In December 2015, Marte was convicted in Danbury Superior Court of burglary in the third degree. He was sentenced to three years of incarceration, execution suspended, and three years of probation. Based on his use of a false identity, his arrest and conviction did not become known to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
On March 19, 2018, Marte, using a different identity, was arrested in Danbury for motor vehicle offenses. His true identity was subsequently discovered through a fingerprint comparison and ICE took him into custody following his release from a state court appearance on June 27, 2018.
Marte has been detained since his arrest. On July 22, 2019, he pleaded guilty to reentry of a removed alien.
Marte was released into ICE custody for removal proceedings.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
