Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Guatemalan national living unlawfully in Dorchester, Massachusetts, was sentenced on April 9 to 13 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material and illegally reentering the United States. Miguel Gomez-Lopez, also known as Miguel Hernandez, will face five years of supervised release after his sentence and is subject to deportation proceedings.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the enforcement of immigration laws and crimes involving minors. Authorities said Gomez-Lopez pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of unlawful reentry after deportation and two counts of possession of child pornography. He was arrested in June 2023 following a police well-being check at his apartment.
During the June 2023 incident, Boston police discovered two missing 14-year-old girls at Gomez-Lopez’s residence. One girl was found exiting the apartment with him as officers arrived; the other was located inside a bedroom appearing intoxicated and partially undressed. A search of Gomez-Lopez’s phone revealed nude images and videos of one minor. Another individual present at the scene was charged with offenses against one victim and has since been deported.
Following his arrest, authorities determined that Gomez-Lopez had previously been ordered removed from the United States in September 2017 but returned six weeks later before being deported again by U.S. Border Patrol.
The sentencing announcement came from United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division; David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office assisted with the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Riley, Jessica L. Soto, and Mark Grady.
