Guatemalan Man Living In Framingham Could Be Deported After Prison

FRAMINGHAM, MA — A Guatemalan man living in Framingham has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.

Carmen Jimenez-Cruz, 42, was sentenced on May 11 by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to prison followed by one year of supervised release. Jimenez-Cruz will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence, officials said.

On Jan. 24, 2023, Jimenez-Cruz pleaded guilty to illegal reentry.

In May 2013, Jimenez-Cruz was encountered by federal immigration authorities after he illegally crossed the Mexican border into Texas without being admitted by an immigration officer, officials said. He was removed from the United States in June 2013.

One month after his removal, Jimenez-Cruz illegally reentered the United States and, in July 2013, he was again encountered by federal immigration authorities in Texas after having entered the United States without inspection.

He was removed from the United States shortly thereafter in July 2013.

Jimenez-Cruz illegally reentered the United States again and, in April 2019, federal immigration authorities located Jimenez-Cruz at the Middlesex County House of Correction where he was being held pretrial on unrelated state charges.

According to court records, in May 2022, Jimenez-Cruz was convicted of strangulation and assault and battery on a family or household member and was sentenced to an 11-month split sentence followed by probation until May 2023.

Upon completion of his sentence, Jimenez-Cruz was released from state prison.

He was later located in September 2022 after being identified as a passenger during a motor vehicle stop in Framingham. Jimenez-Cruz was taken into custody and fingerprints obtained during his booking process were confirmed as an identical match to a prior removal verification document, officials said.