John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DOUGLAS ALEXANDER RIVAS, 37, a citizen of El Salvador, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to illegal reentry by a removed alien.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2003, Rivas was convicted in Connecticut state court of misdemeanor offenses, including criminal trespass in the first degree, criminal mischief in the second degree, and reckless endangerment in the first degree. For these convictions, he received an 11-month suspend sentence and three years of probation. In March 2007, Rivas was removed to El Salvador.
Rivas subsequently illegally reentered the U.S.
On April 25, 2017, Rivas was arrested, in Florida, in connection with the shooting death of a 36-year old man at the El Paraiso Restaurant in Bridgeport on Sept. 25, 2016. He has been detained since his arrest.
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for March 30, 2020, at which time Rivas faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
On November 8, 2019, in relation to the 2016 shooting death, Rivas pleaded guilty in state court to manslaughter in the first degree, and criminal possession of a firearm. He awaits sentencing for these offenses.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
