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May 27, 2020Philadelphia, PA, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

ICE removes 2 men wanted for crimes in their home country of Romania

PHILADELPHIA – On May 27, officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) removed two Romanian men wanted for crimes in their home country. The two men were turned over to Romanian law enforcement authorities upon their arrival in Romania without incident.

Gabriel Prisecaru, 43, a citizen of Romania, is currently wanted by Romanian law enforcement authorities for a Nov. 25, 2014, conviction for criminal association, skimming and illegal financial operations. He was admitted into the United States in New York, New York, as a non-immigrant visitor in 2016. Prisecaru remained in the United States for nearly four years without authorization.

On Nov. 7, 2018, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) convicted Prisecaru of bank fraud. He was sentenced to 31 months incarceration.

On March 5, 2020, ERO Philadelphia ordered Prisecaru removed pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as an alien who after admission to the United States, remained longer than permitted.

On March 31, 2020, ERO Philadelphia received an arrest warrant from Romanian law enforcement authorities confirming Prisecaru is wanted by Romanian officials.

Vasile Florian Grutoiu, 38, a citizen of Romania, is currently wanted by Romanian law enforcement authorities for refusal to submit to an alcohol blood test. He was admitted to the United States at Los Angeles, California, as a nonimmigrant visitor Jan. 31, 2015, with authorization to remain for a temporary period, not to exceed June 30, 2015. Grutoiu remained in the United States beyond June 30, 2015 without authorization.

On July 8, 2019, the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming (DCWY) convicted him of possession of fifteen or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices, and conspiracy to commit access device fraud. DCWY sentenced him to 20 months incarceration.

On April 14, 2020, ERO Philadelphia ordered Grutoiu removed pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as an alien who at any time after admission, has been convicted of an aggravated felony of the Act, a law relating to an offense that involves fraud or deceit in which the loss to the victim or victims exceeds $10,000.

On April 21, 2020, ERO Philadelphia received an arrest warrant from Romanian law enforcement authorities confirming Grutoiu is wanted by Romanian officials.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 3,700 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. In fiscal year 2019, ICE removed or returned 267,000 aliens. ERO arrested 143,000 aliens, more than 86 percent of whom had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.

ICE is focused on removing public safety threats, such as convicted criminal aliens and gang members, as well as individuals who have violated our nation's immigration laws, including those who illegally reentered the country after being removed and immigration fugitives ordered removed by federal immigration judges.

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