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August 23, 2012Newark, NJ, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

ICE deports individual to Italy to face theft, robbery, extortion, drug and weapon charges

NEWARK, N.J. — An Italian national, wanted for theft, robbery, extortion, drug and weapon charges in Italy, was deported and turned over to Italian law enforcement authorities Thursday. He was escorted to the Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Tommaso Accetta, 44, had been arrested and convicted on three different occasions in New York. The latest conviction was for larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. He was subsequently sentenced to 30 days in prison. ERO officers encountered Accetta at Rikers Island April 3, 2012. At the conclusion of his criminal sentence, Accetta was turned over to ICE. Based on his criminal convictions, he was placed in immigration removal proceedings. Accetta – who was a lawful permanent resident – was ordered removed from the United States by an immigration judge May 1, 2012, for being in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). His lawful status was revoked, as he had committed more than two crimes involving moral turpitude.

"ERO will not allow individuals like Accetta to use the United States as a haven to avoid criminal charges in their home country," said John Tsoukaris, field office director for ERO Newark. "ERO works closely with our local and international law enforcement partners to identify, arrest and deport aliens who are wanted in their home countries."

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 335 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

The removal was coordinated with HSI's Office of International Affairs, Consulate General of Italy, ICE's Office of Congressional Relations and the U.S. National Central Bureau of Interpol.

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