Christopher Heck acting Special Agent in Charge at ICE HSI Washington, D.C | Official Website
Christopher Heck acting Special Agent in Charge at ICE HSI Washington, D.C | Official Website
An investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) in Washington, D.C., has resulted in a Dominican national receiving a prison sentence of 15 years and eight months. Gregorio Gustavo DeJesus-Santos, aged 59, was sentenced on February 27 at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Richmond. He was charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, as well as illegally reentering the United States after a felony conviction.
Christopher Heck, acting Special Agent in Charge at ICE HSI Washington, D.C., stated: “Not only did Gregorio Gustavo DeJesus-Santos blatantly ignore U.S. immigration laws, he also attempted to distribute poison in our Virginia neighborhoods.” He added that the case highlighted the cooperation between ICE HSI and law enforcement partners such as the Virginia State Police (VSP) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The investigation revealed that on January 18, 2024, a VSP trooper stopped DeJesus-Santos on I-85 in Mecklenburg County. A police canine detected narcotics odor during the stop, leading to a search of his vehicle. Although an empty hidden compartment was found under the passenger seat extending into the back seat area, DeJesus-Santos was released and traveled to North Carolina.
He later returned to Virginia where he was stopped again for a traffic infraction. This time, authorities discovered two packages containing narcotics in the hidden compartment: one with 200 grams of fentanyl and another with 293 grams of a fentanyl-heroin mixture.
As part of his guilty plea, DeJesus-Santos admitted to obtaining and redistributing at least three additional kilograms of fentanyl. His illegal presence in the United States had been previously identified six times since 1996; most recently he was removed on October 18, 2022, following release from prison for a felony drug charge in New York.
Members of the public are encouraged to report crimes or suspicious activities by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing an online tip form.
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