A Salvadorian national, Juan Alberto Orellana Pena, has entered a guilty plea for the charge of illegal reentry into the United States following deportation, a development reported just yesterday. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Orellana Pena, aged 52, is now facing sentencing, which is scheduled for September 4, by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman.
Previously indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024, Orellana Pena's criminal history dates back to 1998, with a conviction of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 years of age or older. Following this, he was removed from the United States in May 2008. After an undisclosed period, he reentered into the country unlawfully. His illegal presence came under scrutiny again in August 2012 when a speeding stop in Uxbridge led to another indictment for reentry after deportation. Post serving a sentence of a year and a day in federal prison, Orellana Pena was then removed again in November 2013.
The cycle of departures and returns continued until federal authorities flagged Orellana Pena’s latest presence in the U.S. subsequent to his arrest on charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, which occurred around June 16, 2024, in Worcester. The offense of unlawful reentry of a deported alien can carry a sentence of up to 20 years, alongside potential fines and supervised release.
The involved U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director at Boston's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations, confirmed the guilty plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of Worcester Branch Office is in charge of the case prosecution. After the completion of any imposed sentence, Orellana Pena will again be subject to deportation proceedings.
