ICE arrests 6 at-large convicted criminal aliens in Miami

MIAMI - Six convicted criminals residing in Miami were arrested on Tuesday by officers with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in an enforcement operation targeting convicted criminal aliens identified with being in violation of U.S. immigration law.

Yesterday's enforcement operation was conducted by the ICE ERO Joint Criminal Alien Removal Taskforce (JCART). JCART operations are intended to seek, locate and arrest at-large criminal aliens with convictions for drug trafficking offenses, violent crimes and sex offenses.

"Arresting convicted criminals and immigration fugitives is a top priority for ICE ERO," said Marc Moore, field office director for ICE ERO in Miami. "We're committed to working with our state, federal and local law enforcement to be a force multiplier in making our communities safer for everyone."

All six were arrested administratively for being in violation of immigration law, and all are being held in ICE custody pending immigration removal proceedings or removal from the United States.

Arrested by ICE ERO officers were:

• Marvin Ledesma, 31, a citizen and national of the Dominican Republic. He has prior convictions in Miami/Dade County for possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, criminal mischief, prostitution and driving with a suspended license.
• Jose Hernan Perez, 22, a citizen and national of Honduras. He has prior convictions in Miami/Dade County for aggravated battery with great bodily harm and driving without a license while the license was suspended for causing a death.
• Jose Sorto Sorto, 48, a citizen and national of Honduras. He has a prior conviction in Miami/Dade County for aggravated battery.
• Ady Niang, 20, a citizen of Canada and national of Senegal. He has a prior conviction in Alachua County, Fla., for the sale of cannabis.
• Maritza Rodriguez, 43, a citizen and national of Venezuela. She has prior convictions in Miami/Dade County for grand theft and forged checks.
• Josue Rene Alarado-Herrera, 35, a citizen and national of Nicaragua. He has a prior conviction for hit and run.

JCART works closely with other federal law enforcement agencies and conducts special operations at the request of local law enforcement agencies. JCART may also target criminal aliens at large in the community who have been released from federal, state or local custody.