ERO Baltimore arrests Salvadoran MS-13 member convicted of conspiracy, armed robbery, weapons charges

BALTIMORE — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Baltimore apprehended a Salvadoran national and validated member of the notorious MS-13 street gang who was convicted in Maryland of conspiracy, armed robbery and weapons charges. Deportation officers from ERO Baltimore’s Fugitive Operations Team arrested the 28-year-old noncitizen April 15, near his residence in Germantown.

“Not only was this Salvadoran national a member of a notorious transnational criminal organization; he was also a violent felon and a threat to Maryland residents,” said ERO Baltimore acting Field Office Director Matthew Elliston. “Every second this gang member remained on the streets was a threat to Maryland residents. ERO Baltimore will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing the most egregious noncitizen offenders from our Maryland communities.”

The Salvadoran national unlawfully entered the United States on an unknown date at an unknown location without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

The Montgomery County Police Department arrested the Salvadoran national April 22, 2015, and charged him with theft: less $1,000 value. It also arrested the Salvadoran noncitizen July 13, 2015, and charged him with armed robbery and conspiracy-armed robbery.

The Gaithersburg Police Department arrested him Sept. 3, 2015, and charged him with drug possession and paraphernalia crimes. The Circuit Court for Montgomery County in Rockville convicted him of the paraphernalia crime Oct. 20, 2015, and fined him $100.00.

The Gaithersburg Police Department again arrested him Nov. 1, 2015, and charged him with possession of firearm minor, registered firearm: stolen/sell, registered firearm-unlawful sale, dangerous weapon-concealed, handgun on person, and illegal possession of ammo. On Dec.3, 2015, the Circuit Court for Montgomery County convicted the Salvadoran national for the offense of theft: less $1,000 value and sentenced him to two days of confinement. The same court convicted him Jan. 12, 2016, of conspiracy-armed robbery and sentenced him to 364 days of confinement, and of wear, carry and transport handgun upon their person and sentenced him to three years of confinement. The court then suspended all but six months and one day of his prison sentence.

ERO Baltimore arrested the Salvadoran noncitizen Jan. 9, 2017, and served him a notice to appear before a Department of Justice (DOJ) immigration judge.

On May 10, 2017, a DOJ immigration judge in Baltimore ordered the noncitizen removed from the United States to El Salvador.

ERO Baltimore removed him to El Salvador via ICE Air Operations June 28, 2017.

The Salvadoran national unlawfully reentered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

On June 26, 2023, the Howard County Police Department arrested and charged him with driving/attempting to drive a motor vehicle on a highway without required license and authorization.

ERO Baltimore lodged an immigration detainer against the Salvadoran national June 27, 2023, with the Howard County Detention Center; however, on an unknown date, Howard County Detention Center refused to honor ERO Baltimore’s immigration detainer and released the noncitizen offender from custody.

On Dec. 12, 2023, the District Court for Howard County in Ellicott City convicted the Salvadoran national of the offense of driving/attempting to drive a motor vehicle on a highway without required license and authorization.

On March 4, 2024, the Rockville Police Department arrested and charged the noncitizen with driving a motor vehicle on a highway without required license and authorization. This case is currently pending.

Deportation officers with ERO Baltimore’s Fugitive Operations Team arrested the Salvadoran national April 15 at his residence in Germantown. He will remain in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody pending the outcome of removal proceedings.

As part of its mission to identify and arrest removable noncitizens, ICE lodges immigration detainers against noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity and taken into custody by state or local law enforcement. An immigration detainer is a request from ICE to state or local law enforcement agencies to notify ICE as early as possible before a removable noncitizen is released from their custody. Detainers request that state or local law enforcement agencies maintain custody of the noncitizen for a period not to exceed 48 hours beyond the time the individual would otherwise be released, allowing ERO to assume custody for removal purposes in accordance with federal law.

Detainers are critical public safety tools because they focus enforcement resources on removable noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity. Detainers increase the safety of all parties involved — ERO personnel, law enforcement officials, removable noncitizens and the public — by allowing an arrest to be made in a secure and controlled custodial setting as opposed to at-large within the community. Because detainers result in the direct transfer of a noncitizen from state or local custody to ERO custody, they also minimize the potential that an individual will reoffend. Additionally, detainers conserve scarce government resources by allowing ERO to take criminal noncitizens into custody directly rather than expending resources locating these individuals at-large.

ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is a separate entity from DHS and ICE. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal.

Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the ICE online tip form.

As one of ICE's three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Learn more about ERO Baltimore’s mission to increase public safety in our Maryland communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBaltimore.