ERO Denver arrests 16 in local operation

DENVER — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Denver officers apprehended 16 noncitizens convicted of crimes with a sexual basis requiring them to register as sex offenders in the state of Colorado during a local enforcement effort from June 20 through 28.

The effort includes noncitizens with a final order of removal. Cases amenable to federal criminal prosecution may be presented to the appropriate U.S. attorney’s office.

Those arrested include the following:

• A 37-year-old previously removed citizen of Mexico was arrested in Edwards on June 27. In May 2007, the Eagle County District Court in Eagle, Colorado, convicted this noncitizen of driving while ability impaired. In December 2022, the same court convicted them of sex assault on a victim under the age of 15 and assault with a deadly weapon. They are required to register as a sex offender.
• A 25-year-old citizen of Guatemala was arrested in Greeley on June 26. In June 2023, the Weld County District Court in Greeley convicted this noncitizen of felony criminal attempt to commit sexual assault on a child. They are required to register as a sex offender.
• A 41-year-old citizen of the Philippines was arrested in Northglenn on June 26. In January 2018, the Boulder County District Court in Boulder convicted this noncitizen of assault/recklessly causing injury and nonconsensual sexual contact. The noncitizen is required to register as a sex offender and they will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
• A 28-year-old citizen of Mexico was arrested in Lakewood on June 23. In December 2022, the Jefferson County District Court in Golden convicted this noncitizen of attempted sexual assault-overcome victim’s will. They are required to register as a sex offender and will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
• A 43-year-old citizen of Mexico was arrested in Denver on June 22. In October 2022, the Denver County District Court in Denver convicted this noncitizen of sexual assault on a child from a person in a position of trust on a victim age 15-18. They are required to register as a sex offender and will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
• A 39-year-old citizen of Mexico was arrested in Colorado Springs on June 21. In May 2023, the El Paso County District Court in Colorado Springs convicted this noncitizen of attempted sexual assault on a child. They are required to register as a sex offender and will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
• A 41-year-old citizen of Mexico was arrested in Denver on June 21. In July 2021, the Jefferson County District Court in Golden convicted this noncitizen of attempted exploitation of a child via the internet. This criminal also has a driving while ability impaired conviction from June 2006 adjudicated in the Jefferson County District Court in Golden. They will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

ICE targets and arrests noncitizens who have committed crimes and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws. ICE officers, informed by their experience and training, use their discretion inherent as law enforcement officials to focus enforcement resources on people who threaten the homeland.

ICE Air Operations facilitates the transfer and removal of noncitizens via commercial airlines and chartered flights in support of ICE field offices and other U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiatives. In fiscal year 2022, ERO conducted 72,177 removals to more than 150 countries worldwide.

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 ICE. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ERO officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.

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.

Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives are urged to contact ICE by calling the ICE tip line at 866-347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form. Callers may remain anonymous.

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.

For more news and information on how the ERO Denver field office carries out its immigration enforcement mission, follow us on Twitter @ERODenver.