ERO Boston arrests fugitive gang member convicted of murder in Brazil
BOSTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston arrested a Brazilian fugitive, who was convicted of murder in Brazil, in Somerville, Massachusetts, May 23.
The 50-year-old foreign national, who has been identified as a confirmed, active member of Primeiro Comando Da Capital (PCC) – Brazil’s largest criminal gang organization – has been convicted of homicide in his native country. He unlawfully entered the United States near San Luiz, Arizona, in March 2023. He was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol, placed into removal proceedings, and served a notice to appear before an immigration judge after he withheld information on his murder conviction.
“Foreign fugitives, like this Brazilian noncitizen, who are evading justice will not find safe harbor in our communities,” said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd Lyons. “The dedicated officers of ERO Boston have proven time and again that we are committed to apprehending those, like this individual, who threaten our safety and removing them from our communities and our nation.”
The Brazilian gang member has an extensive, violent criminal history which includes his conviction for homicide as well as convictions for attempted murder, robbery and aggravated assault on a police officer in Brazil. According to a later investigation, he withheld information on his prior criminal convictions when U.S. Border Patrol apprehended and interviewed him.
Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (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. Once a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge or other lawful means, ICE officers may carry out the removal.
ERO officers make enforcement decisions on a case-by-case basis in a professional and responsible manner, informed by their experience as law enforcement officials and in a way that best protects against the greatest threats to the homeland and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.
In fiscal year 2022, ERO arrested 46,396 noncitizens with criminal histories. This group had 198,498 associated charges and convictions, including 21,531 assault offenses; 8,164 sex and sexual assault offenses; 5,554 weapons offenses; 1,501 homicide-related offenses; and 1,114 kidnapping offenses.
For more news and information on how the ERO Boston field office carries out its immigration enforcement mission, follow us on Twitter @EROBoston.
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