News Releases

El Salvadoran who returned to the U.S. for the 2nd time after being deported sentenced to more than 4 years in prison
Previously convicted in the sexual assault of a minor girl

BALTIMORE — A native of El Salvador, residing in Columbia, Md., was sentenced May 30 for illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously deported as the result of a felony conviction, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Dagoberto Tiznado, aka Dagoberto Soriano-Tiznado and Walter Soriano, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake to 50 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

"This sentencing of a convicted child sex offender who is also an egregious repeat immigration law violator demonstrates ICE's commitment to prioritizing immigration enforcement resources to target criminal aliens and those who put public safety at risk," said Calvin McCormick, ERO Baltimore field office director.

According to Tiznado's guilty plea, in August 1997, Tiznado was convicted of a sexual offense in Montgomery County Circuit Court based on the sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl and was removed from the United States in April 1998. Sometime between 1998 and 2002, Tiznado illegally returned to the United States and in February 2002, was arrested in Ellicott City, Md. On Oct. 11, 2002, Tiznado was convicted in U.S. District Court for illegal re-entry and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. On May 1, 2003, Tiznado wrote a letter to Judge Blake, who also sentenced him in that case, indicating that he did not intend to remain in or ever return to the United States after the conclusion of his sentence. In August 2005, Tiznado was again deported to El Salvador.

Between August 2005 and September 2011, Tiznado returned again to the United States and on Sept. 10, 2011, was pulled over for drunk driving in Ellicott City, Md. He was driving without a license and could not provide the registration for the vehicle. Tiznado failed field sobriety tests and a breathalyzer test and was subsequently arrested. Thereafter, Tiznado was taken into custody by ERO officers of ICE's Criminal Alien Program after fingerprint evidence confirmed that he was the same individual who had previously been deported on two occasions.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Duey of the U.S. Justice Department, Criminal Division.