Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Escape from Residential Re-Entry Center

BOSTON - A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to leaving a residential re-entry center where he was serving the remainder of his federal sentence for drug possession.

Derek Rego, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of escape before U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton who scheduled sentencing for Dec. 12, 2024. In September 2020, Rego was indicted by a federal grand jury.

In September 2012, Rego was sentenced in federal court in Boston to 120 months in prison for distribution of cocaine. On Jan. 8, 2020, Rego was transferred from a correctional institution to a residential re-entry center ("RRC") in Boston to serve the remainder of his sentence until his release date in June 5, 2020.

Prior to that date, in October 2019, Rego signed the furlough application which notified him, in part, that while on furlough status, he remains in the custody of the Attorney General. While residing at the RRC, Rego was permitted to work and was employed. On March 25, 2020, after informing the RRC that two co-workers tested positive for COVID-19, Rego was instructed to quarantine for 14 days at an approved "pass site" location and told that he would receive random phone calls and pass site visits to ensure his compliance. Rego was informed that after his 14-day quarantine ended on April 9, 2020, he was required to return to the RRC. Initially, Rego was compliant. However, on April 3, 2020, RRC staff attempted an in-person spot check at Rego's temporary pass site and placed several calls to Rego's landline and personal cell phone with negative results. Rego never returned to the RRC and his whereabouts were unknown for almost one month. On May 4, 2020, Rego was arrested in Boston on unrelated state domestic violence charges.

The charging statute provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.