On April 28, 2025, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced the arrest of 38-year-old Jhonser Rafael Coste-Morales from the Dominican Republic. Coste-Morales faces a criminal complaint for illegal re-entry after deportation, with potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani provided details from the complaint. On May 26, 2024, a New York State Trooper in Painted Post, NY, arrested two individuals for fentanyl possession. U.S. Border Patrol assisted in verifying foreign documents. Record checks revealed Coste-Morales as a previously deported citizen of the Dominican Republic, following an aggravated felony.
Despite earlier release from custody on April 14, 2025, Border Patrol agents arrested Coste-Morales again. He legally entered the U.S. in April 2013 and gained Lawful Permanent Resident status in August 2017. He was convicted of a felony drug charge in April 2022 in Pennsylvania, leading to his deportation in October 2023.
Coste-Morales appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colleen D. Holland and remains detained. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative targeting illegal immigration and transnational crime.
The investigation involved U.S. Border Patrol, under Patrol Agent in Charge Juan Ramirez, and the New York State Police, under Major Kevin Sucher. It is emphasized that being charged is an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
