ICE Newark deports man wanted for armed robbery in Guatemala
NEWARK — A Guatemalan man illegally present in the United States, who is wanted in his home country for armed robbery, was removed from the United States Wednesday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Nehemias Otoniel Machorro-Ceron aka Nelson Aroldo Machorro-Fajardo, 30, is a citizen of Guatemala who illegally entered the United States under a false name in February. He was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Texas. During routine questioning he admitted his real identity, which coincided with an international arrest warrant for armed robbery in Guatemala.
Following his arrest he was transferred to the ICE office in Newark while details of the international warrant were confirmed.
The Guatemalan warrant alleges Machorro was part of a criminal group operating in the Guatemalan municipalities of Amates and Morales in the Department of Izabal (south of the country of Belize) between March and August of 2014. Guatemalan departments are similar to states or provinces.
The warrant alleges the group used a concerted and systematic effort to intimidate residents through the burning of crops, theft, killing livestock and use of armed men to take control of the area.
“This fugitive’s arrest and repatriation are the direct result of the ongoing cooperation between U.S. law enforcement and our Guatemalan counterparts,” said Field Office Director John Tsoukaris for ERO Newark. "International fugitives who think they can evade justice by fleeing to the United States should take notice that they will find no refuge here.”
Machorro remained in ICE custody until his removal June 17.
Since October 2009, ERO has removed more than 900 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 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Office of International Operations, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the U.S.
Updated: