A Guatemalan national residing unlawfully in New Bedford has been sentenced to five months in prison for illegal reentry into the United States. Jose De Leon Ventura, 30, received his sentence from U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani and will face one year of supervised release after serving his time. He is also subject to deportation once his sentence is completed.
In May 2025, De Leon Ventura admitted guilt to the charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. He was taken into custody in April 2025 and has remained detained since then.
De Leon Ventura was initially removed from the U.S. in December 2019 after being arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in Yuma, Arizona. Following this removal, he illegally reentered the country. Authorities discovered his presence after an arrest in August 2023 for operating under the influence and driving with a suspended license.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley along with Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of Boston’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Lyons handled the prosecution.
