A Long Island DWI case has drawn outrage after a judge freed Pablo Aguilar-Alvarez without bail despite a fourth drunken-driving conviction.
A Long Island DWI case is drawing sharp criticism after a Suffolk County judge released Pablo Aguilar-Alvarez without bail, even though a jury had just convicted him of his fourth felony drunken-driving offense in 10 years.
Prosecutors said Aguilar-Alvarez, 36, was deported in 2024 and later came back into the country. They said he was arrested again last year for driving while intoxicated after testing at more than twice the legal limit. Suffolk County Judge Bryan Browns ordered him released Friday after the verdict, before his sentencing scheduled for Oct. 2, according to the district attorney’s office.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney sharply criticized the decision in a Monday statement. He said there was “no question” that Aguilar-Alvarez posed a danger to society and argued that his repeated DWI convictions showed a pattern of choosing to drive after drinking. Tierney also said nothing would stop him from getting back behind the wheel and putting Suffolk County residents at risk.
Prosecutors said Aguilar-Alvarez was deported on March 1, 2024, after his third conviction. They said the earlier felony drunken-driving cases stemmed from arrests on June 16, 2022, and on April 19 and Oct. 11 in 2017. He also had a misdemeanor drunken-driving case in 2012, prosecutors said. The district attorney’s office identified him as a Salvadoran national.
“A Long Island DWI case has drawn outrage after a judge freed Pablo Aguilar-Alvarez without bail despite a fourth drunken-driving conviction.”
The latest case began on Nov. 29, when prosecutors said Aguilar-Alvarez drove drunk to a Southampton gas station in search of more alcohol. According to prosecutors, his girlfriend became alarmed and asked a clerk to call 911. Southampton police later found Aguilar-Alvarez nearby, where he allegedly stepped out of the passenger side in an effort to make it appear he had not been the driver.
Police were not persuaded, prosecutors said, and a sobriety test showed a blood-alcohol content of .17, more than twice New York’s legal limit of .08. The jury found him guilty on Friday, and he faces up to seven years in prison when he is sentenced in October.
The bail decision has put renewed attention on how courts handle repeat offenders facing sentencing after violent or dangerous conduct on the road. For prosecutors, the case centers on public safety and whether someone with a long DWI record should be allowed back into the community before punishment is imposed.
For American drivers, the case is a reminder that repeat impaired-driving cases can carry serious stakes long before sentencing arrives. What happens next will come when Aguilar-Alvarez is due back in court on Oct. 2.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Pablo Aguilar-Alvarez?
He is a 36-year-old man whom prosecutors identified as a Salvadoran national. Suffolk County prosecutors said he has multiple drunken-driving convictions and was deported in 2024 before returning to the U.S.
Why are prosecutors angry about the judge’s decision?
They said Aguilar-Alvarez posed a danger to the public and should have been held without bail until sentencing. District Attorney Ray Tierney said his record showed repeated decisions to drive after drinking.
What happened in the latest arrest?
Prosecutors said Aguilar-Alvarez drove drunk to a Southampton gas station on Nov. 29, where his girlfriend asked a clerk to call 911. Police later found him nearby and recorded a blood-alcohol content of .17.
When is his sentencing?
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 2. Prosecutors said he faces up to seven years in prison.
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