A Lawrence man has found himself behind bars once again, this time for reentering the US illegally after having been previously deported—a move that has landed him a 51-month stint in federal prison. The man, identified as Francisco Araujo Lara, 33, earned himself this latest sentencing following his guilty plea back in October 2023 to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The Dominican Republic national had his first run-in with deportation back in September 2019, having served an 18-to-30-month state sentence over fentanyl distribution charges. But Araujo Lara found his way back onto US soil at some point after his removal from the country. His freedom was short-lived as he was arrested in Lawrence in 2021, this time for distributing fentanyl and possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.
Typecast as a habitual offender, Araujo Lara grappled with both federal and state systems, pleading guilty to the state charges and receiving a 30-month sentence in state prison—a sentence he had yet to fully serve before the federal hammer came down for his immigration violation. The case highlights the relentless cycle of crime, punishment, and reentry that challenges both law enforcement and broader debates around immigration and criminal justice reform.
U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani doled out the 51-month sentence to Araujo Lara, adding a three-year period of supervised release following his time served. The announcement of the sentence was made by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, alongside Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director for Boston's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin from the Major Crimes Unit was the lead prosecutor for the case.
