ICE deports Guatemalan man wanted for aggravated rape of a pregnant teenager in Guatemala
SAN DIEGO — A Guatemalan national wanted for the aggravated rape of a 14-year-old pregnant teenager, was turned over Monday to law enforcement officials in Guatemala following an air removal operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in San Diego.
Oscar Ramirez Cuc, 22, was transferred to the custody of Interpol officers immediately following his arrival in Guatemala.
A warrant issued by authorities in Izabal, Guatemala on April 29, accuses Ramirez Cuc of sexually assaulting a three-month pregnant minor who lived with him in the southeast region of Guatemala. According to Guatemalan authorities, the brutal assault, which occurred in June 2012, resulted in the loss of the victim’s unborn child.
According to ICE immigration records, Ramirez Cuc illegally entered the U.S. in March at the Calexico Port of Entry. On May 14, an immigration judge ordered Ramirez Cuc removed, paving the way for last week’s repatriation.
“The allegations in this case are shocking and tragic,” said Mark Aguirre, Assistant Attaché for Repatriation “ICE is committed to working closely with foreign law enforcement to promote public safety and hold dangerous offenders accountable for their actions – no matter where they commit their crimes.”
“This fugitive arrest and repatriation is the result of the ongoing cooperation between U.S. law enforcement and our counterparts in Guatemala,” said Greg Archambeault, field office director for ERO in San Diego. “International fugitives who think they can evade justice by fleeing to the United States should think twice. We will not allow violent criminals to seek a safe haven here.”
Since October 2009, ERO has removed more than 900 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought by their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE’s Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify fugitives illegally present in the U.S.
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