Sergio Cuandon-Alvarez Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DUI Arrest

Sergio Cuandon-Alvarez, a 23-year-old Mexican national, was sentenced to twelve months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron for the crime of illegal reentry after deportation. The sentencing, handed down in Orlando, Florida, marks the latest chapter in a pattern of repeated violations of U.S. immigration law and criminal conduct on American soil.

Cuandon-Alvarez pleaded guilty on November 7, 2017, after being apprehended by immigration authorities following a DUI arrest that involved property damage or personal injury. The incident on August 28, 2017, triggered a review of his immigration status, revealing that he had previously been removed from the United States on three separate occasions in 2013 alone.

His first documented conviction came on April 30, 2013, when he was found guilty of illegal entry—a federal misdemeanor. Despite that conviction and subsequent deportation, Cuandon-Alvarez repeatedly crossed back into the country without authorization, setting the stage for a string of criminal arrests and convictions.

During his illegal stays, law enforcement records show Cuandon-Alvarez racked up convictions for driving under the influence, possession of cocaine, leaving the scene of an accident without providing information, careless driving, and operating a motor vehicle without a license. His criminal activity spanned multiple jurisdictions and demonstrated a flagrant disregard for both traffic and immigration laws.

“This case is an example of ICE’s focus on smart, effective immigration enforcement that prioritizes criminal aliens,” said Michael W. Meade, acting field office director for the Miami Field Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Christina R. Downes and Brandon Bayliss.

Both prosecutors were assigned from the Office of Principal Legal Advisor, ICE, operating in the Middle District of Florida. The outcome underscores the federal government’s ongoing efforts to target repeat immigration offenders with criminal histories, particularly those who pose a threat to public safety through actions like drunk driving and drug possession.