Honduran Man Living In Waltham Indicted On Federal Immigration Charge

WALTHAM, MA — A Honduran man living in Waltham has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation, officials with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts said.

Samuel Cruz Alvarado, 63, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Cruz Alvarado was arrested by immigration authorities on May 5. He will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the indictment, Cruz Alvarado was deported from the United States on Nov. 26, 2012. It is alleged that sometime after his November 2012 removal, Cruz Alvarado illegally reentered the United States without permission.

The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed.

This indictment comes as what Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said was a "monthlong enforcement operation focusing on transnational organized crime, gangs and egregious illegal alien offenders throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts."

Law enforcement officials claim said 1,461 arrests were made and claim that over half had "significant criminal convictions or charges."

During that time, ICE officials in Waltham came under fire for how they went about apprehending people, which included smashing a van window and leaving a child alone on the streets.