Twice-Deported DUI Killer of Two Teens Now in Federal Custody

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A previously deported illegal immigrant convicted in a fatal drunk driving crash that killed two teenagers in California has been released from state prison and transferred to federal custody. He is now facing additional federal charges for unlawfully reentering the United States, KNBC (NBC Los Angeles) reports

Oscar Eduardo Ortega Anguiano, 43, served just three and a half years of a 10-year sentence after driving under the influence (DUI) and killing 19-year-old Paul Osokin and his girlfriend, Anya Varfolomeeve, in a 2021 crash on the 405 Freeway in Seal Beach, California. According to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Anguiano had previously been deported twice, in 2016 and again in 2018, but returned to the U.S. illegally before the deadly incident.

Anguiano’s early release ignited outrage among the victims’ families and public officials alike. Anatoly Varfolomeev, father of Anya, said he had waited outside the prison, hoping to confront the man who destroyed his family. “If I could see the guy, I could have a chance to say what I think about him,” Anatoly told NBC4. “I will never forget him for what he did to my family and to the family of the Osokins, never.”

The transfer to federal custody came nearly seven years ahead of Anguiano’s full sentence, a move that drew criticism from victims’ families and some prosecutors. United States Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed that his office has now filed a felony immigration charge for unlawful reentry. “If the State of California will not seek the full measure of justice against this individual, the United States Department of Justice will,” Essayli said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office attempted to shift blame by pointing to a plea agreement offered by a Republican district attorney. However, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer strongly disputed that claim, stating that county prosecutors had objected to the plea and pushed for the maximum sentence allowed under California law. “It is another stab to the heart of victims across California by Governor Newsom and a state Legislature who are hell-bent on releasing as many criminals as possible without any accountability,” Spitzer said in a statement.

Federal records show that Anguiano was previously removed from the country on multiple occasions before returning and committing the fatal offense. A federal grand jury had already indicted him in 2022 for reentering the country illegally, and he is expected to be arraigned shortly.

Though the additional charges may not heal the loss suffered by the families, Anatoly Varfolomeev expressed that it provides a small sense of accountability. “It won’t take away our pain. It won’t heal us,” he said. “But at least we would have some trust in society.”