ERO New York City arrests Guatemalan citizen convicted of sexually abusing a child
NEW YORK — On Jan. 3, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) New York City’s Newburgh suboffice arrested an unlawfully present citizen of Guatemala convicted by Rockland County Court of first-degree sex abuse: sexual contact with individual less than 11 years old.
Fugitive Operations Officers arrested the 22-year-old noncitizen without incident in Spring Valley, New York, and transported him to the Newburgh suboffice for processing. He was served a notice to appear and charged with violating the Immigration and Nationality Act by entering without inspection and being convicted of a crime of moral turpitude. He will remain in custody without bond pending removal proceedings.
“This arrest sends a strong message that ERO New York City is committed to apprehending predators who commit horrific acts of violence against our most vulnerable community members,” said ERO New York City Field Office Director Kenneth Genalo. “We will use all of our resources to ensure these types of criminal noncitizens are removed for the safety of all New York residents.”
The Guatemalan national admitted he unlawfully entered the United States at or near Arizona in August 2018 without inspection, parole or admission by U.S. immigration officers.
On May 17, 2021, the Rockland County Court convicted the noncitizen of first-degree sex abuse: sexual contact with individual less than 11 years old and sentenced him to ten years of probation.
Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ICE officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.
As one of ICE’s three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.
Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.
Learn more about ERO New York City’s mission to preserve public safety on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ERONewYork.
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