PROVIDENCE, RI – Celso Herrera-De Los Santos, a 49-year-old Dominican national, is staring down a third deportation after receiving a sentence in federal court today for illegally re-entering the United States. The sentencing comes as Herrera-De Los Santos was already facing state charges related to a significant cocaine operation.
Herrera-De Los Santos first tasted expulsion from the U.S. in 2011, and again in 2017. His latest run-in with the law began in May when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) flagged him during a routine screening at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI). He was being held on Rhode Island state charges: possession with intent to deliver cocaine, and possession with intent to deliver one ounce to one kilogram of the drug. It’s a familiar story – a dealer back in the system, pushing poison into our communities.
Since his arraignment on June 23, 2025, Herrera-De Los Santos has been held in federal custody. Today, U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose handed down a sentence of time served, a slap on the wrist that barely acknowledges the damage he’s caused. However, ICE isn’t letting him walk. An immigration detainer has been lodged, meaning his return to the Dominican Republic is all but guaranteed – for now.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter I. Roklan and Dulce Donovan prosecuted the case, building on an investigation led by ICE. While the sentence itself may seem lenient, the swift action by ICE sends a clear message: repeated violations will not be tolerated. But is it enough? Will this finally stick, or will Herrera-De Los Santos find a way back into the shadows?
This case falls under the umbrella of “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative touted by the Department of Justice. The operation aims to dismantle transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and “repel the invasion of illegal immigration,” a loaded phrase that speaks volumes about the current political climate. It combines resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood, attempting to streamline efforts against both drug trafficking and violent crime.
The question remains: is “Operation Take Back America” truly making a difference, or is it just a rebranding of the same tired tactics? Herrera-De Los Santos’ case is a microcosm of the larger problem – a revolving door of deportation and re-entry. Until the root causes of this cycle are addressed, and penalties are truly deterrent, the streets of Rhode Island – and the nation – will remain vulnerable to those who seek to profit from misery and destruction.
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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