Indictment Charges Mexican National with Illegally Reentering U.S.

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging JULIO CESAR FERNANDEZ-SALAZAR, 44, a citizen of Mexico, with unlawful reentry of a removed alien.

As alleged in court documents, Fernandez-Salazar has used numerous aliases, including Julio Fernandez, Julio Cesar Salazar, J. Cesar Fernandez-Salazar, Paulo Cesar Salazar, Alejandro Lugo, Jorge Ortigoza, and Julio C. Fernandez-Salazar. Fernandez-Salazar was first convicted of an immigration violation in October 2007 in the District of Arizona, was sentenced to 45 days of imprisonment, and was voluntarily returned to Mexico. In June 2009, after he returned to the U.S. and was convicted in Tempe Municipal Court in Arizona of failure to appear and driving with a suspended license, Fernandez-Salazar was deported to Mexico. In July 2009, U.S. Border Patrol encountered and arrested Fernandez-Salazar near the U.S./Mexico border and he was again deported to Mexico.

It is further alleged that Fernandez-Salazar illegally reentered the U.S. and, in April 2017, was convicted in Maricopa County of unlawful imprisonment and solicitation to commit misconduct involving weapons. In April 2018, he was convicted in the U.S. District Court in Arizona of unlawful reentry and was again deported to Mexico.

It is further alleged that on November 27, 2024, Fernandez-Salazar was arrested by the Connecticut State Police in Colchester and charged withLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and other offenses. He was subsequently released on bond.

On July 18, 2025, the U.S. District Court in New Haven issued a criminal complaint charging Fernandez-Salazar with unlawful reentry. He was located and arrested in Arizona on February 25, 2026, and has been detained since that date. The indictment was returned on March 17, 2026.

If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Fernandez-Salazar faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Lembo.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.