BURLINGTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Vermont), published as received.

BURLINGTON – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on May 7, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Yasser Rivera-Reyes, 42, a Cuban citizen with ties to Miami, Florida, with unlawfully reentering the United States after having departed the United States with an order of removal outstanding. Rivera-Reyes was initially charged by Criminal Complaint after he was apprehended by the United States Border Patrol on April 24, 2026 in Derby, Vermont. Rivera-Reyes entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle previously ordered that Rivera-Reyes be detained pending trial.

According to court records, Border Patrol agents received alerts that a person had likely entered the United States from Canada around 10pm on April 24, 2026, in the area of the bike path in Derby, Vermont. Agents responded to the bike path, and encountered Rivera-Reyes wearing clothing and a backpack similar to imagery obtained near the border. Rivera-Reyes was identified as a Cuban citizen, who had been ordered removed from the United States in 2017 while an inmate in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. A search of Rivera-Reyes’ belongings revealed a number of items indicating Rivera-Reyes had been living in Canada, including a Quebec driver’s license (issued in September 2025), a debit card from a Canadian bank, a membership certificate from a Canadian union, and receipts dated in April 2026 related to the purchase and return of items from a business in Charlemagne, Quebec.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Rivera-Reyes is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Rivera-Reyes faces up to 2 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.

The prosecutor is Special Assistant United States Attorney Craig Nolan. Rivera-Reyes is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.