Nikolas Kerest U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont
Luis Edison Capellan-Ortiz, a 49-year-old man from the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to time served by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier on April 29, 2025. Capellan-Ortiz had previously pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States following his removal in May 2023.
Capellan-Ortiz entered the country unlawfully on October 20, 2024, by crossing the United States-Canada border near Jay, Vermont. U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered him there, leading to his arrest. Agents determined that he had been ordered removed by a United States Immigration Judge and deported to the Dominican Republic in May 2023. His reentry into the United States was without legal permission, contravening U.S. immigration laws.
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont revealed these details, while Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher praised the U.S. Border Patrol for their investigative work.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Gilman prosecuted the case. Capellan-Ortiz received legal representation from Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara M. Puls.
