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October 31, 2017New York, NY, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

ICE removes man that escaped from jail in the Dominican Republic

NEW YORK — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in New York removed a Dominican citizen Monday who was wanted in his home country after escaping from the La Victoria National Penitentiary in Santo Domingo, in June, 2002.

Ofracio Perez-Jose, 55, was escorted by ERO deportation officers to Santo Domingo, via a commercial flight, and transferred to the custody of Dominican law enforcement authorities.

Perez-Jose legally entered the United States in March,1992. In December, 2000, while on a trip to the Dominican Republic, Perez-Jose was arrested by the Dominican Nation Police on the charges of kidnapping at gunpoint, illegal possession of firearms, robbery and infringement of private property, and detained in the La Victoria National Penitentiary.

On June 8, 2002, Perez-Jose escaped from Dominican custody, and the following day, legally re-entered the United States through San Juan, Puerto Rico, based on his existing immigration status. In July, 2002, the Dominican authorities informed U.S. authorities that Perez-Jose had escaped from their custody and was believed to be residing in Puerto Rico.

In November 2003, Perez-Jose was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on immigration violations and detained in ICE custody. In February 2004, Perez-Jose posted bond and was released from ICE custody. In March 2005, Perez-Jose was ordered removed by an immigration judge, and subsequently failed to report to ICE as ordered. In January 2015, Perez-Jose was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on a felony robbery charge. On Oct. 6, 2017, Perez-Jose was convicted of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, a federal felony, in U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York. On Oct. 11, 2017, Perez-Jose was transferred to ICE custody and detained, pending his removal to the Dominican Republic.

On Oct. 20, 2017, ERO New York was notified by the ICE Assistant Attaché for Removals in the Dominican Republic that Perez-Jose was still wanted by the Dominican authorities for the escape and the December, 2000, arrest 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 re-entered the country after being removed and immigration fugitives ordered removed by federal immigration judges. Since January, ICE arrests comprise over 70 percent convicted criminals. Of the remaining individuals not convicted of a crime, approximately 70 percent have either been charged with a crime, are an immigration fugitive, or have been removed from the United States and illegally re-entered – reflecting the agency’s continued prioritization of its limited enforcement resources on aliens who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security.

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