Joshua S. Levy, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts
A Dominican national, Melvin Villar, 60, from Lawrence, Massachusetts, was arraigned on charges of unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Villar faces one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
Villar was apprehended by immigration authorities on February 2, 2025, at the Essex County House of Correction in Middleton. This is not his first offense; he was previously convicted for unlawful reentry in February 2021 in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.
The charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine reaching $250,000. Upon completion of any imposed sentence, Villar will be subject to deportation. Sentences are determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston announced the indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady from the Major Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
It is important to note that details contained within charging documents are allegations at this stage. The defendant remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
