ERO St. Paul removes foreign fugitive wanted in Guatemala for possessing an illegal firearm

ST. PAUL, Minn. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) St. Paul removed an unlawfully present noncitizen foreign fugitive wanted in Guatemala for possessing an illegal firearm April 13.

Jaime De Jesus Gomez Hernandez, 37, was flown from Eppley Airfield Airport in Omaha, Nebraska, to Alexandria International Airport in Alexandria, Louisiana, April 12 on a flight coordinated by ICE’s Air Operations Unit. On April 13, Gomez Hernandez was flown from Alexandria International Airport to La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, Guatemala, where he was transferred to Guatemalan authorities.

On Aug. 19, 2014, Gomez Hernandez unlawfully entered the U.S. near Del Rio, Texas, without inspection, and was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol. On the same date, U.S. Border Patrol served him a notice and order of expedited removal. On Sept. 8, 2014, ERO removed Gomez Hernandez to Guatemala. On March 10, 2016, the First Court of Criminal Sentence of Mixco, Guatemala, issued an arrest warrant for Gomez Hernandez for transportation of an illegal defensive and/or sports firearm.

ERO St. Paul encountered Gomez Hernandez at the Polk County Jail in Des Moines, Iowa, and lodged an immigration detainer Sept. 19, 2022. On Feb. 27, the Iowa District Court for Polk County convicted Gomez Hernandez of assault with the intent to commit sexual abuse and sentenced him to 30 days’ incarceration. On Feb. 28, ERO St. Paul arrested Gomez Hernandez at the Polk County Jail. On the same date, ERO St. Paul served Gomez Hernandez with a Notice of Intent/Decision to Reinstate Prior Order. On March 12, Guatemalan authorities notified ERO St. Paul Gomez Hernandez was wanted in Guatemala for transportation of an illegal defensive and/or sports firearm.

ICE 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.

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.

The ERO St. Paul field office oversees suboffices in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska.

As one of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) three operational directorates, Enforcement and Removal Operations (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 crimes and/or suspicious activity by dialing 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in your community on Twitter @EROSaintPaul.