Southington Man Charged With Illegal Re-Entry After 2013 Deportation
Yunior Benavides, 49, faces up to 20 years in prison on re-entry charge; previously served 5 years for Hartford drug conspiracy
PublishedMarch 19, 2026
Yunior Benavides, 49, was identified as being unlawfully present in the United States during the vehicle stop on March 6, 2026
Southington Man Facing Federal Re-Entry Charge After Vehicle Stop in West Hartford
A Southington man was arrested on federal illegal re-entry charges after Homeland Security Investigations agents stopped a vehicle he was driving in West Hartford last week as part of a drug trafficking investigation.
Yunior Benavides, 49, was identified as being unlawfully present in the United States during the vehicle stop on March 6, 2026, according to federal authorities. He was charged with illegal re-entry and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford on March 12, 2026. Judge Farrish ordered him detained pending further proceedings.
If convicted, Benavides faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the re-entry charge.
Background: 2009 Drug Conviction and 2013 Deportation
Benavides was first charged in 2009 in connection with a federal narcotics distribution conspiracy operating in the Hartford area. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 60 months — five years — in federal prison.
Following completion of his sentence, Benavides was deported to the Dominican Republic in November 2013. Federal law prohibits individuals who have been deported from re-entering or remaining in the United States without authorization. Unlawful re-entry after a prior deportation is a federal felony.
Operation Take Back America
Benavides' arrest was part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative launched to target individuals with criminal histories who have re-entered the United States unlawfully, as well as cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The operation has resulted in hundreds of arrests nationally.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the criminal investigative arm of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. HSI operates a Connecticut field office that coordinates with local law enforcement on criminal immigration cases.
Federal Immigration Enforcement in Connecticut
Federal immigration enforcement activity in Connecticut has intensified in recent months. Connecticut communities, including West Hartford and Southington in Hartford County, have seen increased coordination between federal agencies and local police on criminal re-entry cases.
Southington is a town of approximately 43,000 residents in Hartford County. West Hartford, where the arrest occurred, is a suburban community adjacent to Hartford.
Benavides' next scheduled proceeding in federal court had not been publicly announced at the time of reporting. Federal criminal cases are handled in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut is prosecuting the case.
