A man who admitted to living in the territory illegally for 12 years will be sentenced on Oct. 8.
Luis Andres Quiones-Zayas, of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty on Aug. 27 to remaining in the territory after the period granted by immigration authorities.
Mr. Quiones-Zayas told the court that the last time he has been outside of the Virgin Islands was in the mid-1990s. He had a valid work permit until the early 2000s, according to the prosecution.
He had another hearing on Friday for his attorney to present mitigating factors to the court, but when he showed up to court he represented himself, saying he didn’t have any money for a lawyer.
“Please take me into consideration and send me back to my country,” he implored Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste-DaBreo when asked if he had anything to say to the court.
Ms. Baptiste-DaBreo replied that she would likely have to impose more of a punishment than deportation because of the message the sentence would send to others.
“If we just send people who come here illegally back home, we’d be encouraging them to come here and stay as long as they want with no consequences,” she said.