Nelson Deras-Pineda, a 43-year-old Honduran national, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after previous removals. The sentencing took place in Roanoke, Virginia.
Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci stated, “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold accountable those individuals who flout the immigration laws of the United States.”
Court documents indicate that Deras-Pineda was arrested by the Roanoke City Police Department in June 2025 on felony DUI charges. This marked his third DUI arrest within a decade. During this arrest, officers contacted Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington to perform an Immigration Alien Query. Authorities determined that Deras-Pineda had previously entered the U.S. without authorization in January 2003 and May 2006 and had been removed following both incidents.
Despite these prior removals, Deras-Pineda returned to the country at an unknown date after his last removal in 2006. He has additional state convictions for fleeing accident scenes and driving without a license.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation for this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlene R. Day prosecuted it on behalf of the government.
