A Guatemalan national living unlawfully in Dorchester, Massachusetts was sentenced on April 9 to 13 years in prison for illegally reentering the United States and possessing child sexual abuse material. A second individual involved in the case was charged and deported.
Miguel Gomez-Lopez, also known as Miguel Hernandez, age 32, received his sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley. Following his prison term, he will serve five years of supervised release and faces deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Gomez-Lopez pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of unlawful reentry after deportation and two counts of possession of child pornography. He has been held in custody since his arrest in June 2023.
The charges stem from a June 2023 incident when Boston police conducted a well-being check at Gomez-Lopez’s apartment after concerns about a missing minor. Officers found two missing girls, both aged fourteen, at the residence. One girl was seen leaving with Gomez-Lopez as police arrived; the other was found inside appearing intoxicated and partially undressed. Police discovered nude photographs and videos of one victim on Gomez-Lopez’s phone. Another individual charged with crimes against one of the minors has since been deported.
Authorities determined that Gomez-Lopez is a citizen of Guatemala who had previously been ordered removed from the United States in September 2017 before being apprehended again by Border Patrol just six weeks later and deported a second time.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the sentencing along with officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston Field Office, Boston Police Department, and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
