An Ecuadorian national residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston. The charge concerns illegal reentry into the United States following deportation.
Gilberto Avila-Jara, aged 66, faces one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Avila-Jara on April 1, 2025. According to the indictment, he was previously deported from the United States on June 2, 1996, but allegedly reentered without permission afterwards.
The unlawful reentry charge carries a potential sentence of up to two years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. A fine of up to $250,000 may also be imposed. Following any sentence served, Avila-Jara would be subject to deportation. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and related statutes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, the Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston, announced the indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
"The details contained in the charging documents are allegations," the announcement notes. "The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
