Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
A Portuguese national, Joao Luis Vieira, was arrested in August 2024 at his residence in West Warwick by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Vieira faced multiple outstanding arrest warrants and has now pleaded guilty to illegal entry into the United States. Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom announced that he was sentenced to time served, totaling six months.
At the time of his arrest, authorities discovered active warrants for Vieira in Bristol County, Massachusetts, related to cocaine trafficking. Additional charges included reckless driving and eluding police in East Providence, as well as a failure to appear in Kent County Court in Rhode Island.
An investigation by Homeland Security Investigations Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed that Vieira had previously been deported from the United States to Portugal in December 2013 following an immigration judge's order issued a month earlier.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond handed down the sentence of time served. ICE has lodged an immigration detainer against Vieira.
Assistant United States Attorney Peter I. Roklan prosecuted the case. The investigation involved collaboration between the U.S Marshals Fugitive Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Alerts Sign-up