Man Arrested In Meriden Sentenced For Illegally Reentering U.S.: Feds

MERIDEN, CT — Juan Jose Carrasco Cardenas, 40, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Meriden, was sentenced Thursday in Hartford federal court to six months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States after being deported, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut David X. Sullivan announced.

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

“In May 2009, U.S. Border Patrol encountered Carrasco Cardenas 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 Cardenas 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. He pleaded guilty to illegal reentry on Sept. 18.

Carrasco Cardenas, who has been detained since his arrest, will be removed to Mexico when he completes his prison term, according to officials.