Carlos Cabrera-Zaruma, a 45-year-old citizen of Ecuador, pleaded guilty on Apr. 2 in New Haven federal court to unlawful reentry of a removed alien, according to David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address illegal reentry and protect communities from individuals with prior convictions. Cabrera-Zaruma had previously been convicted in Connecticut Superior Court in 2008 for sexual assault in the second degree against a victim under the age of 16 and operating a motor vehicle under the influence. He was deported to Ecuador in September 2010.
Court documents show that after his deportation, Cabrera-Zaruma unlawfully returned to the United States and resided again in Connecticut. He was arrested on September 6, 2025, in Danbury on motor vehicle violations and has remained detained since his federal arrest on October 7, 2025.
Cabrera-Zaruma is scheduled for sentencing in Hartford on June 29. The offense carries a maximum prison term of up to twenty years.
The investigation is being conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel is prosecuting the case.
According to Sullivan, “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.”