Jose Del Carmen Hernandez Hernandez, 43, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally reentering the country after being deported, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction for illegally reentering the states.
Between 1999 and 2009, Hernandez - whom U.S. Attorney John Durham noted never held legal status in the country - sustained several state convictions for offenses that included assault, threatening and operating a motor vehicle under the influence. In April 2009, he was first removed to Mexico.
Hernandez illegally reentered the country that year and returned to Connecticut, where he was convicted of evasion with injury and criminal mischief.
After he was arrested in Hartford in March 2013 on a breach of peace and criminal mischief offense, Hernandez was identified by federal immigration officials and convicted in federal court of reentry of a removed alien.
On Sept. 10, 2013, Hernandez was sentenced in Hartford federal court to a year in prison. In April the following year, he was again deported to Mexico, though he again returned to Connecticut illegally.
Hernandez was arrested for driving under the influence in Connecticut again in November 2015. He was convicted again of reentry of a removed alien, and he was sentenced to another year in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was removed to Mexico again in May last year.
Durham said that Hernandez illegally reentered the U.S. a third time and, on January 11, 2018, was arrested by the Hartford Police Department for multiple motor vehicle violations, including operating under the influence.
He has been detained since his arrest. He pleaded guilty on Aug. 7 to one count of illegal reentry. His DUI case is still pending in state court.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Stratford and receive free news updates.