ERO Washington, D.C. arrests Salvadoran national convicted of sexual battery of a Virginia woman

WASHINGTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. apprehended a Salvadoran national convicted of sexual battery against a Virginia woman. Deportation officers from ERO Washington, D.C.’s Fugitive Operations Team arrested Joe Alfredo Maldonado near his residence in Manassas, Virginia, May 14.

“Joe Alfredo Maldonado’s brutal actions have proven him to be a significant threat to the residents of our Virginia communities,” said ERO Washington, D.C. Field Office Director Liana Castano. “We cannot allow violent criminals to victimize our neighborhoods. ERO Washington, D.C. will continue to prioritize public safety by apprehending and removing the most egregious noncitizen offenders.”

Maldonado 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.

Virginia’s Prince William County Police Department arrested Maldonado April 19, 2014, for misdemeanor driving while intoxicated. The Prince William County General District Court convicted him July 16, 2014, and sentenced him to 30 days of imprisonment.

The Prince William County Police Department arrested Maldonado Feb. 25, 2020, for felony forcible sodomy, by force, threat, etc., on a victim age 13 or older. The Prince William District Court convicted him of sexual battery Jan. 8, 2021, and sentenced him to 364 days of imprisonment.

ERO Washington, D.C. attempted to lodge an immigration detainer against Maldonado with the Prince William County Adult Detention Center in Manassas, Virginia, Aug. 20, 2020. However, the detention center had released him from custody before the detainer could be submitted.

Deportation officers from ERO Washington, D.C.’s Fugitive Operations Team arrested Maldonado near his residence in Manassas, Virginia, May 14. He will remain in ERO custody pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.

As part of its mission to identify and arrest removable noncitizens, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ERO 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.

ICE focuses on arresting 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 inherent discretion as law enforcement officials to focus enforcement resources on those who pose a threat to national security, public safety or border security. These efforts include noncitizens with final orders of removal. Cases amenable to federal criminal prosecution may be presented to the appropriate U.S. attorney’s office.

In fiscal year 2023, ERO arrested 73,822 noncitizens with criminal histories; this group had 290,178 associated charges and convictions with an average of four per individual. These included 33,209 assaults; 4,390 sex and sexual assaults; 7,520 weapons offenses; 1,713 charges or convictions for homicide; and 1,655 kidnapping offenses.

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

Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROWashington.