Timoteo Upia-Frias, Illegal Reentry, Virgin Islands 2021

ST. THOMAS – Fugitive Returns to Face Charges

Timoteo Upia-Frias, 73, a Dominican Republic national, has been arrested and charged with illegally reentering the United States. The arrest marks the culmination of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents into undocumented immigrants in the United States Virgin Islands.

According to court documents, Upia-Frias was discovered living in a neighborhood on St. Thomas while ICE and HSI agents conducted an operation investigating undocumented immigrants in the USVI. His arrest was made on June 11, 2021.

Upia-Frias' troubles with the law began in 2008, when he was convicted in the District Court of the United States for possessing with intent to distribute heroin. As a result, he was removed from the United States by ICE agents and returned to his native country, the Dominican Republic, on September 6, 2016.

Upia-Frias is now facing charges of illegal reentry pursuant to 8 U.S.C § 1326. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Payne is prosecuting the case. HSI and ICE are investigating the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

In this matter, the U.S. Attorney's Office is emphasizing the importance of upholding our nation's immigration laws and holding individuals accountable for their actions.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-vi/pr/dominican-republic-man-charged-illegally-reentering-united-states