Dominican national arrested in Hazleton faces second deportation


Jerry Lynott, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Fri, November 25, 2022 at 9:36 AM




Nov. 25—SCRANTON — A man from the Dominican Republic who was arrested in Luzerne County on drug charges after being deported for a previous trafficking offense faces deportation again upon completion of his federal prison sentence for illegal reentry.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Wednesday said Tomi Moscat-Lara, 44, received an 18-month prison sentence from a federal judge. Mosat-Lara had pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States following his removal for an aggravated felony offense.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Moscat-Lara, also known as Randi Torres-Irizarry, was residing in the country illegally in April 2013 when he was convicted in Luzerne County Court of a cocaine trafficking offense. Moscat-Lara was sentenced to one to two years in prison and deported in December 2013.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Moscat-Lara returned to the U.S. and was arrested on Jan. 14, 2021 in Hazleton for allegedly trafficking cocaine and fentanyl.

Before his bail was revoked and he pleaded guilty on June 15, 2021 to a charge of possession with intent to distribute drugs a federal grand jury indicted Moscat-Lara for alleged illegal reentry. He was sentenced in county court on Dec. 30, 2021 to three-to-six years in prison.

Following the completion of his federal sentence Moscat-Lara will face deportation.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.



https://www.yahoo.com/news/dominican...143600311.html