A Dominican Republic national faces federal charges for illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith announced.
Joan Tavarez Bueno, 33, was taken into custody on Monday after Homeland Security Investigations received information about a possible non-citizen arriving at the Red Hook Ferry Terminal on St. Thomas from St. John, according to court documents.
Agents identified a person matching Tavarez Bueno’s description, observed him entering a parked vehicle, and later stopped the car. A records check confirmed Tavarez Bueno had been deported on Feb. 13, 2024, and was in the country illegally, the documents stated.
If convicted, Tavarez Bueno faces up to two years in prison.
