Jorge Humberto Moreno Martinez, a 34-year-old Venezuelan national, has been sentenced to 24 months in prison for illegally re-entering the United States after being previously removed by immigration officials. The sentencing took place on August 29, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss in Burlington, Vermont.
Moreno had previously served a three-and-a-half-year sentence in New York following a felony conviction for burglary in the second degree. After his release, he was deported from the United States on November 15, 2016. At that time, authorities informed him that his criminal record barred him from re-entering or attempting to enter the country.
Despite this warning, Moreno returned to the United States. According to court records, when Department of Homeland Security agents attempted to arrest him in Williston, Vermont on January 27, 2025, he fled by car. During the pursuit, he struck three law enforcement vehicles and drove at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour before being apprehended. Items discarded from his vehicle were later recovered and tested positive for cocaine base and cocaine. In his plea agreement, Moreno admitted possessing these substances with intent to distribute.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher recognized several agencies for their roles in investigating the case: “I commend the investigatory efforts of the United States Department of Homeland Security, including its Homeland Security Investigations (‘HSI’), Enforcement and Removal Operations (‘ERO’), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) divisions, with assistance from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (‘DEA’).”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Gilman prosecuted the case while Brooks G. McArthur represented Moreno.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated federal efforts such as those led by Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
