Jorge Velazquez-Cordova Sentenced in Vermont

Jorge Velazquez-Cordova, 33, a citizen of Mexico, stood before a federal judge in Burlington, Vermont, not for the machete he wielded or the woman he beat unconscious—but for coming back into the country after being kicked out. The violent episode at Allendale Farm in Vergennes last September painted a picture of rage and terror, but the federal charge that stuck was his illegal return.

On September 21, 2021, Vermont State Police stormed the farm after reports that Velazquez-Cordova had threatened household members with a large machete and physically assaulted a woman so severely she lost consciousness. He was arrested on felony domestic assault and related charges. Six days later, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic assault in Vermont Superior Court in Addison County and was sentenced to just 6 to 7 days in jail—time he’d already nearly served.

But federal authorities were watching. Velazquez-Cordova had been previously removed from the United States, making his return a federal crime. On October 6, 2021, he was taken into federal custody by the U.S. Marshals. Since then, he’s been locked up—not for the domestic violence, but for crossing the border illegally after deportation.

U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss handed down a sentence of time served, effectively clearing the federal charge. No additional prison time. No fine. The decision means Velazquez-Cordova won’t face more federal punishment—but he won’t walk free either. Custody will transfer from the U.S. Marshals Service to the Department of Homeland Security for immediate removal proceedings.

The investigation was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case underscores a grim reality: violent offenders with prior deportations often slip through the cracks, prosecuted not for their most heinous acts but for immigration violations. Here, the system didn’t deliver justice—it processed paperwork.

Velazquez-Cordova was represented by Assistant Federal Defender David McColgin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest prosecuted. As federal removal looms, questions remain: How many more like him are out there? And when domestic violence collides with broken immigration enforcement, who really pays the price?