Jose Luis Diaz-Pena, Illegally Reentering the United States, New Hampshire 2015

Concord, NH – In a shocking turn of events, Jose Luis Diaz-Pena, a 34-year-old man from the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.

Diaz-Pena was arrested on January 13, 2015, by agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A New Hampshire State Trooper serving on the New Hampshire State Police’s Department of Motor Vehicles Task Force contacted federal authorities after Diaz-Pena appeared at a DMV office in Nashua and attempted to obtain a New Hampshire identification card.

Fingerprints taken by federal authorities determined that Diaz-Pena had been deported from the United States on three prior occasions. Diaz-Pena was indicted in U.S. District Court on March 11, 2015. His sentencing was scheduled for August 19, 2015, at 10:00. Diaz-Pena will again be deported after serving his sentence.

The investigation into this case was a collaborative effort between the New Hampshire State Police and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.

This case highlights the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in preventing and prosecuting immigration-related crimes.

As the investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities from individuals who seek to exploit and endanger them.

Diaz-Pena’s plea and impending sentencing serve as a warning to those who would attempt to reenter the United States illegally: the consequences will be severe and the penalties will be harsh.

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