South African Interpol fugitive deported to face criminal charges

MIAMI - A South African national, who is wanted in his home country for fraud and forgery, was deported on Friday and turned over to South African law enforcement officials by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers.

Guy Jonathan Hill, 47, was deported to Johannesburg, South Africa, on a commercial flight out of Miami International Airport via Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Upon arrival at the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, he was turned over to South African law enforcement authorities.

Hill is wanted by South African authorities for two fraud and forgery cases involving 1.8 million and 1.2 million South African Rands, respectively, for a total amount of about $433,032 in U.S. currency.

"This is another case where an individual mistakenly believed he could use the United States as a safe haven to avoid prosecution in his home country," said Marc Moore, field office director for ICE ERO in Miami. "ICE ERO will simply continue identifying, arresting, and removing dangerous convicted criminal aliens as one of our top priorities. We will also continue to work with foreign governments to identify and eventually return those wanted abroad."

Hill entered the United States as a non-immigrant in March 2010 and was convicted in the Circuit Court for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida, for St. Lucie County, for grand theft, dealing in stolen property and dealing in stolen property on the Internet in violation of Florida statues. He was sentenced to one year in prison.

On Feb. 7, 2011, Hill was taken into custody by ICE ERO. He was ordered removed from the United States by an immigration judge on Feb. 24, 2011.