A Salvadoran national with a history of illegal reentries into the United States has been sentenced to prison, once again. Melvin Alexander Orellana-Martinez, 54, received a 60-month sentence for his most recent offense of unlawfully returning to the U.S. after being deported, as was announced by the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Massachusetts district. Orellana-Martinez's federal sentence will run concurrently with a heftier state sentence he is currently serving for serious charges including aggravated rape and kidnapping.
Orellana-Martinez’s history with U.S. immigration authorities dates back to as early as 2007, when he was first removed from the country. Despite multiple deportations, he managed to unlawfully enter the U.S. on multiple occasions. According to a press release from the Department of Justice, between February 2008 and March 2019, he was convicted of illegal reentry or improper entry by federal courts in California, and Texas, on five different instances.
His latest deportation took place on January 14, 2020. Yet again, Orellana-Martinez returned to the United States illegally. He was apprehended after federal immigration authorities were alerted on January 6, 2023, following his arrest on state charges unrelated to his immigration status. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit.
Significant to this case is the incarceration term that has been imposed, acknowledging both the recurrence of Orellana-Martinez's illegal reentries and the severity of the other crimes he committed on American soil. Todd M. Lyons, Boston’s Field Office Director for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations, highlighted the case as part of wider efforts to uphold the integrity of immigration laws and public safety—especially, in light of the suspect's repeated violations and the nature of the associated state-level offenses.
