Yunior Benavides, 50, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after being deported. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford on Thursday, according to U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, David Sullivan.
Benavides was previously involved in a narcotics distribution conspiracy in the Hartford area, which led to federal charges against him and others in 2009. After pleading guilty, he was sentenced to five years in prison and deported to the Dominican Republic in November 2013.
However, Benavides returned to the U.S. without authorization. Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations apprehended him on March 6, 2026, during a drug trafficking investigation in West Hartford. Authorities identified him as unlawfully present in the country while he was driving a car that had been stopped in connection with the investigation.
In addition to his unlawful reentry, Benavides was found in possession of a false identification document. He has remained in custody since his arrest and pleaded guilty to the reentry charge on June 30.
Benavides’s case underscores ongoing enforcement efforts related to immigration laws and involvement in drug-related crimes. The sentencing highlights the legal consequences of unauthorized reentry for previously deported individuals.
