A Dominican national, Melvin Villar, has pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after deportation. The plea was entered in a federal court in Boston. Villar, 60, admitted to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper has scheduled his sentencing for September 16, 2025. Villar’s indictment was issued by a federal grand jury in March 2025.
Villar was taken into custody by immigration authorities on February 2, 2025, at the Essex County House of Correction in Middleton following his release from state custody on narcotics trafficking charges. His history includes being deported in 2004, 2009, 2019, and 2021 after convictions related to immigration violations, drugs, and firearms offenses. This includes two prior convictions for unlawful reentry.
The charge of unlawful reentry can lead to a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. After serving any imposed sentence, the defendant faces deportation again. Sentences are determined by a federal district court judge according to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The announcement came from United States Attorney Leah B. Foley along with Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady from the Major Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
