ICE Houston arrests more than 350 gang members in past 6 months who illegally entered US over 1,400 times, been convicted of nearly 1,700 criminal offenses

HOUSTON — ICE arrested 356 illegal alien gang members in the Houston area during the first six months of the Trump administration who, as a group, have illegally entered the U.S. 1,434 times and been convicted of 1,685 criminal offenses. Among the criminal aliens arrested were convicted murderers, child predators, thieves and arsonists, and one alien who illegally entered the U.S. 40 times.

The arrests were a result of the administration’s focus on targeting the “worst of the worst” criminal aliens for arrest and removal to restore integrity to the nation’s immigration system and bolster public safety and national security.

“Despite attempts by some to undermine the courageous work being done by our officers, the brave men and women of ICE continue to put their lives on the line every day to arrest violent transnational gang members, foreign fugitives and dangerous criminal aliens,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez. “In just the past couple of years in Houston, transnational gang members were responsible for brutally raping and murdering an innocent 12-year-old girl on her way to the store. Our officers know their efforts can help prevent atrocities like that from every occurring again and they won’t rest until they’re all gone.”

Among the gang members arrested by ICE in the Houston area over the past six months were:

• Milton Alexander Magana Fuentes, a 31-year-old child predator and Paisas gang member from El Salvador, arrested July 2. He has illegally entered the U.S. four times. While illegally in the U.S., Magana Fuentes has been convicted of sexual indecency with a child, failure to register as a sex offender, illegal reentry and illegal entry.
• Ronald Alberto Rivas-Aguilar, a 28-year-old MS-13 gang member from El Salvador, arrested July 21. He illegally entered the U.S. twice and has been convicted of homicide.
• Humberto Romero Avila, a 45-year-old Paisas gang member from Mexico, arrested Jan. 31. He illegally entered the U.S. 10 times. On Feb. 13, ICE deported Romero Avila to Mexico, where he was wanted for homicide. While he was in the U.S., Romero Avila was convicted of four DWIs, as well as larceny, illegal reentry and illegal entry.
• Jonathan Josue Valle-Moralez, a 31-year-old previously deported MS-13 gang member from El Salvador, arrested Feb. 24. He’s been convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm. On March 6, ICE transferred Valle-Moralez into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to be prosecuted for homicide.
• Javier Ivan Montoya-Avila, a 34-year-old Paisas gang member from Mexico, arrested April 16. He illegally entered the U.S. 26 times and has been convicted of burglary, tampering with government records, criminal trespass, illegal reentry and illegal entry.
• Jose Angel Martinez, a 39-year-old child predator and Paisas gang member from Mexico, arrested May 7. He illegally entered the U.S. five times and has been convicted of sexual indecency with a minor, aggravated assault of a family member, resisting arrest, burglary, drug possession and obstructing police.
• Luis Fernando Nava-Garcia, a 20-year-old Paisas gang member from Mexico, arrested May 5. He illegally entered the U.S. 40 times and has been convicted twice for illegal reentry.
• Gerardo Ortega-Contreras, 43-year-old previously deported Tango Blast gang member from Mexico, arrested June 26. He has been convicted five times for resisting/evading arrest, four times for DWI, three times each for obstructing an investigation and burglary; twice for hit-and-run, and once each for drug possession, assault and larceny.
• Juan Manuel Cayetano-Vasquez, a 48-year-old Surenos-13 gang member from Mexico, arrested March 26. He illegally entered the U.S. 13 times. While illegally in the U.S., Cayetano-Vasquez was convicted six times for drug possession and three times for resisting arrest; twice each for domestic violence, assault and identity theft; and once each for false imprisonment, illegal entry, illegal reentry, battery and destroying evidence.
• Jonathan Morales-Abundis, a 30-year-old Surenos-13 gang member from Mexico, arrested April 9. He illegally entered the U.S. 29 times and has been convicted three times for illegal reentry, and once for alien smuggling and illegal entry.
• Jose Pizano-Tierrablanca, a 33-year-old Surenos-13 gang member from Mexico, arrested April 8. He illegally entered the U.S. four times and has been convicted of sexual indecency with a minor and illegal entry.
• Samuel Valenzuela Martinez, a 55-year-old Paisas gang member from Mexico, arrested July 7. He illegally entered the U.S. five times and has been convicted six times for DWI, three times each for assault and illegal entry, and once each for hit-and-run, larceny, cruelty toward a child, evading arrest, fraud and illegal reentry.
• Luis Alberto Hernandez, a 46-year-old Latin Kings gang member from Mexico, arrested Feb. 6. He illegally entered the U.S. three times and has been convicted four times for domestic violence, three times for illegal reentry, twice for aggravated assault, and once each for drug trafficking, unlawful possession of a firearm, obstructing police, disorderly conduct, drug possession, interfering with a 911 emergency call and child abuse.
• Juan Pablo Hernandez Ramos, a 35-year-old child predator and Paisas gang member from Mexico, arrested Feb. 14. He was deported from the U.S. three times and has been convicted of possession with intent to promote child pornography, sexual assault, aggravated assault, illegal entry and illegal reentry.

In total, ICE arrested members of more than 40 different gangs. The number of arrests among the more well-known gangs were 39 MS-13 gang members, 25 Tren de Aragua gang members, 15th Street Gang members, 6 Latin Kings gang members, 159 Paisas gang members, 12 Surenos-13 gang members, and 26 Tango Blast gang members.

The 1,685 criminal convictions were for a wide variety of offenses, including abduction, homicide, sexual assault, sexual assault of a child, promotion of child pornography, aggravated assault, domestic violence, burglary, alien smuggling, sex trafficking, organized crime, drug trafficking, drug possession, arson, trespassing, unlawful possession of a firearm, illegal entry, illegal reentry, fraud, escape and evading arrest.

Members of the public can report suspected violations of U.S. immigration law and other suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

Interested in working for ICE? Visit our website to learn more about an exciting career in federal law enforcement. ICE is currently hiring deportation officers, criminal investigators and attorneys, and offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package that features sign-on bonuses, flexible work schedules, tuition reimbursement, transportation subsidies and access to health and wellness programs.

For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to enforce our nation’s immigration laws in Texas follow us on X at @EROHouston.