ICE agents apprehend fugitives wanted for violent crimes nationwide

(The Center Square) – Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents continue to apprehend fugitives wanted for committing violent crimes. Many fled to and entered the U.S. illegally to avoid incarceration in their home country.

In New England, ICE ’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) Boston agents last month arrested a Jamaican fugitive wanted for rape and sexual intercourse with a minor under age 16. The 59-year-old was living in Stamford, Connecticut, after fleeing to the U.S. “to avoid some very disturbing charges,” ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd Lyons said. “He posed a significant threat to the residents of Connecticut, and now he will return to Jamaica to face justice there.”

The Jamaican was admitted to the U.S. by Customs and Border Protection on June 14, 2020, at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York as a nonimmigrant visitor authorized to remain in the country for six months. Just two weeks later, on July 1, 2020, Jamaican authorities issued a warrant for his arrest for raping a child in Jamaica. The U.S. State Department then revoked his nonimmigrant visa on July 9, 2020.

He overstayed his visa by four years and lived in the U.S. illegally until ICE agents apprehended him last month. He remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

Also last month, ICE ERO Boston agents arrested a Brazilian national convicted of armed carjacking in Brazil who was illegally living in Quincy, Massachusetts.

“This Brazilian fugitive has been convicted of armed carjacking in his home country, and he fled to the United States to avoid a prison sentence,” Lyons said. “He has shown a propensity to commit violent actions and posed a threat to the residents of Massachusetts.”

The 42-year-old Brazilian illegally entered the country near San Ysidrio, California, and was apprehended by Border Patrol agents on Sept. 11, 2021. Instead of processing him for removal, he was issued a “notice to appear” before an immigration judge and released into the U.S. on an order of recognizance.

It was only after he was released that ICE learned that a Brazilian criminal court convicted him of aggravated theft-armed carjacking and sentenced him to over five years in prison. Brazilian officials also issued an arrest warrant in October 2022. It would take another 18 months for ICE ERO agents to find and apprehend him in Quincy. He remains in custody pending removal proceedings.

In New Jersey, ICE ERO Newark agents escorted and removed an Albanian national from the United States on June 5, turning him over to Albanian authorities the next day. He was wanted by Albanian authorities for exploitation of prostitution of a minor. He “lawfully entered the United States June 30, 2009, but violated the terms of his admission,” ICE said.

Two years after he was admitted to the U.S., authorities learned he was a wanted fugitive in Albania. In April 2011, Albanian authorities issued an order stating he’d been sentenced to seven years in prison. Twelve and a half years later, in September 2023, a U.S. immigration judge ordered him to be removed from the U.S. Eight months later, ICE ERO Newark agents arrested and removed him.

In Texas, ICE ERO agents in Houston and Waco in a short period of time arrested five illegal foreign nationals wanted for homicide in the U.S. or abroad.

On May 23, ICE ERO Houston agents arrested a 38-year-old Honduran national wanted in Mexico for multiple murders who was illegally living in Galveston. He was arrested after agents received information that he was illegally living in the Houston area and was wanted for allegedly murdering two gang members in Mexico during a botched attempt to highjack a shipment of illicit narcotics, according to ICE.

On May 24, ICE ERO Houston agents arrested a 21-year-old Mexican national illegally living in Splendora, Texas, wanted in Veracruz, Mexico, for homicide. ICE agents worked with the Splendora Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service to learn of his whereabouts. Also in Splendora, on June 7, ICE ERO Waco agents arrested a 40-year-old, three-time voluntarily returned Mexican national wanted in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, for homicide.

On June 3, ICE ERO Houston agents arrested a 42-year-old Honduran national who was illegally living in southwest Houston and wanted for homicide in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He was arrested within seven hours of ICE ERO Atlanta agents notifying their Houston counterparts that he was believed to have fled to Houston from Atlanta.

On June 4, ICE ERO Waco agents arrested a 41-year-old previously expelled Mexican national wanted in Durango, Mexico, for homicide. He was arrested within 12 days of agents learning he was illegally living in Waco.

“The ability of ERO Houston and ERO Waco fugitive operations officers to quickly translate intelligence into actionable leads that result in the arrest and removal of dangerous foreign fugitives and other criminal noncitizens from the community is unparalleled across the country,” ICE ERO Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford said. “In one case, they were able to successfully locate and arrest an unlawfully present murder fugitive in just seven hours, which is almost unheard of given all of the logistical hurdles and surveillance needed to safely take a dangerous fugitive like that into custody.”