Twice Deported Illegal Immigrant Charged in the State of Colorado
Pedro Reynaldo Tun, who has been deported back to the country of Mexico twice, has been convicted of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) for the fifth time and has admitted to being in the United States illegally for over ten years. When asked to explain his five DUI cases, Tun stated, through an interpreter, “I am here alone, and I like to drink.” According to the Arapahoe County District Attorney, it is estimated that taxpayers in the state of Colorado will pay about $1 million to house and prosecute Tun in this fifth DUI case.
During one of his previous DUI cases, Tun was charged with vehicular homicide when his passenger was killed during a drinking and driving accident. When asked about another previous case, the defendant reasoned that he was not driving drunk but was “just over the limit.” More concerning than Tun’s chronic DUIs, which occurred across the Colorado metro area, is the fact that he was easily able to get back into the United States after being deported for previous serious crimes.
While being interviewed, Tun explained that after he was deported following his first two DUI convictions, he paid human smugglers, known as “coyotes,” to help him get back into the US. He stated that he paid smugglers $8,000 to get him into the country the first time and $5,000 the second time. When asked about President Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall along the Mexican border, Tun stated he did not believe it would stop illegal immigration but that it would allow smugglers to charge more.
The Arapahoe District Attorney’s Office secured its fifth DUI conviction of Tun, and a judge sentenced him to the maximum penalties. Tun’s penalties for his repeat DUI include over 15 years in jail. However, according to District Attorney George Brauchler, the combination of “good time” and other provisions could see Tun serving less than a third of his sentence, meaning he will be released sooner and probably deported back to Mexico for a third time, making for a rather unique case.
More typical cases see individuals arrested, charged and convicted of DUI, and facing various penalties. Those who are charged with a first-time DUI in the state of Colorado face up to one year in jail, up to $1,000 in fines, and a nine-month driver’s license suspension. Those who are repeat offenders face harsher penalties – a second-time DUI conviction carries penalties of up to one year in jail, up to $1,500 in fines, and a one-year driver’s license suspension.
