ERO New York City arrests thrice-removed Ecuadoran national convicted of sexual assault and burglary

NEW YORK - On Sept. 19, Enforcement and Removal Operations New York City arrested an unlawfully present citizen of Ecuador convicted by the Rockland County Court of burglary in the third degree and sexual abuse in the second degree.

Officers from ERO New York City’s Newburgh office arrested the 30-year-old sex offender at the Otisville Federal Correctional Facility pursuant to a warrant of removal. He will remain in custody pending removal to Ecuador.

“This arrest shows ERO New York City is committed to apprehending predators who commit horrific acts of violence against members of our community,” said ERO New York City Field Office Director Kenneth Genalo. “Those who violate our immigration laws and undermine the safety of our communities will be apprehended and removed from the United States.”

On July 3, 2010, U.S. Border Patrol encountered the Ecuadoran citizen unlawfully entering the United States near Naco, Arizona. Officials charged him with violating the Immigration and Nationality Act and issued him a notice to appear.

On Aug. 7, 2012, the Rockland County Court convicted the noncitizen of burglary in the third degree and sentenced him to one year incarceration. He was convicted of sexual abuse in the second degree Aug. 7, 2012, and sentenced to one year of imprisonment.

On Nov. 29, 2012, an immigration judge in New York City issued the noncitizen a final order of removal. He was removed from the United States to Ecuador Jan. 3, 2013.

On an unknown date and at an unknown location, the noncitizen unlawfully reentered the United States without admission, inspection or parole by an immigration official. On June 1, 2018, he was again removed from the United States to Ecuador.

On April 8, 2019, U.S. Border Patrol encountered the noncitizen unlawfully entering the United States from Mexico without inspection at or near Brownsville, Texas. On Sept. 26, 2019, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas convicted the noncitizen of illegal reentry in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. He was removed from the United States to Ecuador for the third time on April 9, 2021.

On May 17, 2022, U.S. Border Patrol encountered the noncitizen unlawfully entering the United States from Mexico without inspection at or near El Paso, Texas. On Nov. 7, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas’ El Paso Division convicted him of illegal reentry in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act and sentenced him to 30 months of incarceration.

Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Executive Office for Immigration Review. The Executive Office for Immigration Review 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. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ICE officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.

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.

Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ERO New York City’s mission to preserve public safety on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ERONewYork.