Dwayne Claud Singh, a 39-year-old Jamaican citizen who last lived in New Haven, was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford, according to an announcement from David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
Court records show that Singh was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court in 2014 on charges related to drugs, weapons, and forgery. He served five years in prison before being deported to Jamaica in January 2018.
After his deportation, Singh returned unlawfully to the United States and acquired a California driver’s license under the name “Kevin Anthony Smith.” Using this false identity and fraudulent license, he obtained employment and registered two vehicles with insurance coverage in Connecticut.
Singh has been held since July 23, 2025, following his arrest on a federal criminal complaint. At that time, there was also an active state arrest warrant against him for breach of peace and threatening offenses dating back to March 2023. On October 4, 2025, Singh pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawful reentry.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel prosecuted the case.
“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,” according to officials.