Man Accused Of Illegally Reentering U.S. Arrested In Meriden: Feds

MERIDEN, CT — A Mexican citizen accused of illegally reentering the United States was arrested last week in Meriden, according to authorities.

Juan Jose Carrasco Cardenas, 39, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after being deported, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut David X. Sullivan announced Wednesday.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2002, Carrasco was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol and was issued a voluntary return to Mexico.

“In May 2009, U.S. Border Patrol encountered Carrasco illegally entering the country in Arizona,” officials wrote in a news release. “He was charged in the District of Arizona with improper entry of an alien, sentenced to five days of imprisonment and, in June 2009, was issued a voluntary return to Mexico. In January 2018, Carrasco was arrested in Saline County, Kansas, and charged with various offenses related to the trafficking of marijuana. He was convicted of a state marijuana distribution offense and sentenced to 30 months in jail. He was removed to Mexico in October 2019.”

Carrasco was arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations on Aug. 27 in Meriden, according to officials.

Officials said he appeared Wednesday in federal court in Hartford and was ordered detained.

He faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison, according to officials.