Luis Alberto Solano-Pimentel, Failure to Appear, Massachusetts 2018

Fugitive Caught After 20 Years Pleads Guilty to Failing to Appear in Court

BOSTON – In a stunning turn of events, Luis Alberto Solano-Pimentel, a 51-year-old Dominican national, pleaded guilty to one count of failure to appear in federal court in Boston.

The failure to appear charge stems from a 1997 case in which Solano-Pimentel pleaded guilty to passport fraud. However, he failed to show up for his scheduled sentencing date, leading to a 20-year manhunt.

Solano-Pimentel was finally apprehended on March 6, 2018, in Warwick, Rhode Island, after eluding law enforcement for two decades. He has been detained since his arrest.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Solano-Pimentel's plea agreement carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. District Court Judge Mark Wolf has scheduled sentencing for August 8, 2018.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office, with assistance from the United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts and the United States Marshal for the District of Rhode Island.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling's Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

In a statement, United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling commended the efforts of the law enforcement agencies involved in the case.

Solano-Pimentel's case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of fulfilling one's obligations to the justice system.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/fugitive-caught-after-20-years-pleads-guilty-failing-appear-court