Illegal reentrant with prior murder, narcotics convictions sentenced to 100 months in prison following ICE New York investigation

NEW YORK - Juan Carlos Padilla Santos, a Dominican national with prior murder and narcotics convictions, was sentenced to 100 months in prison after an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations New York uncovered he had illegally reentered the United States despite having been previously deported twice and having been the subject of a third removal order. Padilla Santos, 50, was convicted of murder in the Dominican Republic in 2016, but fled the country before serving his sentence. He instead returned to the U.S., where he was convicted in 2018 of possessing cocaine and bail jumping, and ultimately deported again. He was later accused of falsifying his own death and illegally returning to the U.S. a third time.

"Juan Carlos Padilla Santos exhibited time and time again his disregard for our immigration laws needed for public safety," said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. "With a history that includes murder, narcotics possession, and even apparently faking his own death, this defendant took repeated steps to illegally enter and reenter the U.S. Padilla Santos now faces a significant sentence for his actions."

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