ICE arrests 5 criminal sex offenders in Houston

HOUSTON — Five local convicted criminal sex offenders were arrested on Wednesday by officers with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in an operation targeting convicted criminal aliens.

The enforcement activity was conducted by the ICE ERO and ICE's Compliance Enforcement Unit, in conjunction with the Harris County Sex Offender office. The operation was designed to locate and arrest at-large criminal aliens with sex offense convictions.

"Arresting convicted criminals and immigration fugitives is a top priority for ICE ERO," said Kenneth Landgrebe, field office director for ICE ERO in Houston. "We remain committed to making our communities safer through partnerships with our state, federal and local law enforcement agencies."

All five men were arrested administratively for violating immigration law. They are all being held in ICE custody pending immigration court proceedings or their deportation.

ICE ERO officers arrested the following men (ICE does not provide the identities of those administratively arrested):

• A 33 year old from El Salvador convicted of assault causing bodily harm and sexually assaulting a child;
• A 22 year old from Nicaragua convicted of indecency with a child and exposure;
• A 35 year old from El Salvador convicted of indecency with a child and exposure.
• A 34 year old from Mexico convicted for sexually assaulting a child;
• A 49 year old from Mexico convicted of possessing child pornography.

ICE ERO places a high priority on combating illegal immigration, including targeting illegal aliens with criminal records who pose a threat to public safety.