Convicted sex offender removed to Costa Rica
NEWARK, NJ — A convicted sex offender was removed to Costa Rica Monday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). He was accompanied by ERO officers and turned over to Costa Rican authorities upon his arrival in his home country.
Michael Cerdas Molina was convicted of sexual assault against a minor in Costa Rica in 2016 and sentenced to six years imprisonment. However, he absconded to the United States in March 2017, prior to serving his sentence, using a valid nonimmigrant visa that was issued to him in 2010. He failed to depart the United States in accordance with the terms of his admission, which rendered him removable under U.S. immigration law.
Costa Rica issued a warrant for his arrest in 2018, and deportation officers with ERO Newark arrested him May 13, 2019, on immigration violations. On May 29, 2019, an immigration judge ordered him removed from the United States.
“This previously convicted sex offender was an obvious danger to the community who warranted removal from the U.S. and the term of incarceration imposed by his home country,” said John Tsoukaris, field office director for ERO Newark. “The courageous efforts of ICE officers are to be commended for locating, arresting and removing this individual from the United States.”
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