ICE removes Jamaican national wanted for murder

CLEVELAND – A citizen and national of Jamaica wanted in his home country on criminal homicide charges was removed from the United States Thursday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and turned over to the country's law enforcement authorities.

Wendell Campbell, 34, was charged in 2007 by the Jamaican Constabulary Force of the Parish of St. Andrews with the unlawful killing of another person. The crime was allegedly committed in 2004.

Campbell entered the United States legally on a tourist visa in 2005 and was encountered by Border Patrol in 2007 after he had remained longer than authorized. While awaiting removal proceedings, he was convicted federally in 2009 for possession and distribution of more than 50 kilograms of marijuana. After serving more than three years for the drug conviction, he was turned over in February 2012 to ERO officers in Cleveland who coordinated his removal to Jamaica. Louisiana-based ERO officers released him Thursday to the custody of Jamaican authorities to face the murder charge.

"This individual attempted to elude justice in Jamaica by seeking safe haven in the United States," said Rebecca Adducci, ERO field office director for Ohio and Michigan. "ICE prioritizes the arrest and removal of criminal aliens who pose a threat to our communities. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners here and abroad to ensure these individuals are identified and brought to justice."

ERO is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, such as those charged with or convicted of homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, major drug offenses and threats to national security. ERO also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system including immigration fugitives or those criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 335 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's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.