ICE removes gang member wanted in El Salvador after fourth illegal reentry

WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) removed a man to El Salvador on Monday, Feb. 17, after his conviction in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for illegal reentry after removal. He was wanted by law enforcement officials in El Salvador for extortion and is a documented member of the transnational criminal street gang known as 18th Street.

Jaime Omar Vasquez-Benitez, 40, was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol Nov. 10, 1997, near Douglas, Arizona. He claimed he was a Mexican citizen and voluntarily returned to Mexico. At an unknown time and location, Vasquez illegally reentered the U.S.

On May 10, 2005, Vasquez was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. for first degree sexual abuse and obstruction of justice. He was convicted by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia Nov. 3, 2005 and sentenced to 36 months of incarceration. After the completion of his prison sentence, ERO Los Angeles removed Vasquez to El Salvador.

Vasquez again illegally reentered the U.S. at an unknown time and location and was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol near Falfurrias, Texas Feb. 6, 2014. He was turned over the same day to ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for federal prosecution for illegal reentry after removal, but the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas later dismissed the charges and Vasquez was removed to El Salvador May 19, 2014.

On March 24, 2014, the Government of El Salvador issued an arrest warrant for Vasquez for extortion.

Vasquez illegally reentered the U.S. on an unknown time and location and was arrested July 12, 2018 by ERO Washington, D.C. after an encounter with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. On Nov. 13, 2019, he was convicted by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of illegal reentry after removal.

Vasquez was removed via ICE air charter and turned over to law enforcement officials in El Salvador.