HARTFORD, CT – Darwin Francisco Quituizaca-Duchitanga, a 39-year-old Ecuadorian national with a history of dodging justice, is back in federal custody after allegedly violating deportation orders. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut announced today that Quituizaca-Duchitanga – who also goes by Darwin Duchitanga-Quituizaca and Juan Mendez-Gutierrez – has been charged with illegally reentering the United States.
This isn’t a simple immigration violation. Quituizaca-Duchitanga’s past is stained with tragedy. Back in 2017, he was behind the wheel during a fatal motor vehicle accident on I-91 in North Haven, Connecticut. The Connecticut State Police arrested him in March 2018, and he was subsequently convicted in Connecticut Superior Court in January 2019 of manslaughter second degree. The sentence? 30 months behind bars.
But prison wasn’t enough to keep him contained. ICE initially encountered Quituizaca-Duchitanga in Meriden while he was awaiting trial on the manslaughter charges in August 2018. An immigration judge ordered his removal to Ecuador in September 2018. He served his time, was released from state prison on an unknown date, and then, shockingly, made his way back to the U.S. He was removed to Ecuador in September 2023, only to be arrested *again* by ICE in Meriden on June 28, 2025.
This time, federal prosecutors are taking the lead. Quituizaca-Duchitanga appeared in Hartford federal court today, facing the charge of unlawful reentry. If convicted, he’s looking at a maximum of 10 years in federal prison. The defendant has been detained since his latest arrest.
U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan was quick to remind the public that a federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. “Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” Sullivan stated. The investigation is being handled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George prosecuting the case.
This case falls under “Operation Take Back America,” a sweeping nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation streamlines resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). It’s a clear signal: repeated attempts to skirt the law will be met with federal prosecution.
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Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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