PROVIDENCE – The grim headlines roll in as Celso Herrera-De Los Santos, a man with two prior deportations to his name, is facing the music once more. The 49-year-old Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court for illegal reentry, marking his third round of expulsion from the United States.
Herrera-De Los Santos, a figure familiar to ICE, had already been ordered deported in 2011 and again in 2017. But it was during a May screening at the ACI that Immigration and Customs Enforcement caught him this time, holding him on Rhode Island state charges of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession with intent to deliver 1 oz to 1 kilo of cocaine.
Detained since his arraignment on June 23, 2025, Herrera-De Los Santos was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to time served, a slap on the wrist for the federal charges he faced. However, an immigration detainer has been lodged against him by ICE.
The case against Herrera-De Los Santos was prosecuted with vigor by Assistant United States Attorney Peter I. Roklan, supported by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan. The investigation leading to this conviction was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This sentencing is part of Operation Take Back America, a sweeping initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguarding communities from violent crime. The operation leverages the full force of the Department of Justice, including resources from OCDETFs and PSN.
RELATED: Deported Drug Dealer Herrera-De Los Santos Faces Triple Ban
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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