Defendant Previously Deported Following State Firearm Conviction, Later Arrested After Police Pursuit In Connecticut

Thursday, February 12, 2026, 8:30 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

NEW HAVEN, CT.- A Salvadoran national who unlawfully reentered the United States after being deported has been sentenced to federal prison, federal prosecutors announced.

     David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, said Freddy Alexander Morales Tejada, 25, of El Salvador, formerly illegally residing in Vernon, Connecticut, was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in New Haven to nearly four months of imprisonment, time already served, for illegally reentering the United States after removal.

     The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Victor A. Bolden.

     According to court documents and statements made during the proceedings, Morales Tejada was convicted in October 2023 in Connecticut Superior Court of carrying a pistol without a permit and failure to appear in the first degree. Following those convictions, he was deported to El Salvador in February 2024.

     Federal authorities said Morales Tejada later unlawfully reentered the United States. On May 19, 2025, he was located in South Windsor, Connecticut, after being arrested on multiple state charges stemming from a police pursuit. Those charges included engaging in a police pursuit, reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle without a license, and illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under suspension.

     Morales Tejada was taken into federal custody on October 23, 2025, after being arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with illegal reentry. On November 10, 2025, he pleaded guilty to the offense in federal court.

     He has remained detained since his federal arrest and will continue to be held pending his removal from the United States to El Salvador, authorities said.

     The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.

     Federal law makes it a criminal offense for a previously deported noncitizen to reenter or be found in the United States without authorization, particularly when the individual has prior felony convictions. Prosecutors said the sentence reflects both Morales Tejada’s prior criminal history and the circumstances surrounding his unlawful return.