A 36-year-old Dominican Republic citizen with prior drug trafficking convictions, Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, was arrested in Philadelphia on March 12th during a joint operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Basora-Gonzalez, who has a history of attempted possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and aiding and abetting, had previously been deported from the United States and illegally re-entered the country without authorization.
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“The apprehension of Virginia Basora-Gonzalez demonstrates our commitment to protecting our communities from criminal aliens who engage in serious illegal activities that pose a threat to public safety,” said Brian McShane, acting Field Office Director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia. “This successful joint operation exemplifies the collaborative efforts of federal law enforcement agencies to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and remove dangerous individuals from our streets.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had previously arrested and charged Basora-Gonzalez in 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with attempted possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and aiding and abetting. She pleaded guilty to these charges and was sentenced to 12 months and one day of confinement, followed by four years of supervised release.
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ICE subsequently removed Basora-Gonzalez from the United States to the Dominican Republic on October 6, 2020.
On March 12th, ICE issued a notice of intent to reinstate her final order of removal. Simultaneously, a federal arrest warrant and criminal complaint were obtained from a U.S. magistrate judge. Basora-Gonzalez was then turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service.
She will remain in federal custody pending charges related to re-entry after deportation in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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