ICE AGENTS ARREST 29 WESTCHESTER COUNTY SEX
OFFENDERS
WESTCHESTER, New York-- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents
today arrested 29 child predators and criminal alien sex offenders in
Westchester County under a international crackdown of citizen and
non-citizen sex offenders, Internet predators, human traffickers, and
international sex tourists who exploit children.
Arrests were made in the communities of Bedford Hills, Mt. Vernon, New
Rochelle, Ossining, Peekskill, Port Chester, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown,
White Plains and Yonkers.
Those arrested have been convicted of sex offenses in Westchester County,
including rape, sexual abuse, sodomy, endangering the welfare of a minor,
and sexual misconduct. Twenty-five of those apprehended victimized minor
children.
More than 130 special agents and officers from the ICE Special
Agent-in-Charge Office in New York, ICE’s Office of Detention and Removal,
ICE’s Federal Protective Service, the Westchester County Department of
Probation, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, and the
Westchester County Department of Public Safety began making arrests at
4:30 a.m. today.
Among those arrested were:
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A citizen of Mexico who sexually abused his 4 and 7-year-old nieces;
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A citizen of Guatemala who sexually abused his girlfriend’s 10-year-old
daughter;
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A citizen of Peru who raped a 14-year-old girl, and;
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A citizen of the Dominican Republic who sodomized a 13-year-old girl. |
Non-citizen sex offenders are subject to administrative removal from the
U.S. by ICE.
“We are determined to make our communities safer for everyone,” said New
York ICE Special Agent-in-Charge Martin D. Ficke. “We will not permit
those who abuse defenseless children to walk the nation’s streets with
impunity. ICE will continue to work closely with local and federal law
enforcement officials and community members across the New York area to
remove criminals who prey on the most vulnerable members of our
communities.”
ICE’s Operation Predator protects children by investigating and presenting
for prosecution pedophiles, Internet predators, human traffickers,
international sex tourists and other predatory criminals. Since Operation
Predator was launched July 9, ICE agents have arrested nearly 1,700 child
predators and sex offenders nationwide. In addition to the 29 who were
arrested today, New York ICE agents have arrested 79 other criminal alien
sex offenders, 13 of whom also resided in Westchester County.
Westchester County Executive Andy Spano said, “Today our communities are a
little safer for everyone. There is no room in this country for people who
break the law and prey on our children. I am proud that our Department of
Probation has been able to assist ICE in making these arrests.”
Spano added that county officials are delighted to work with and have
support from ICE agents.
Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro said, “Operation
Predator makes it clear that the coordinated resources of law enforcement
--from local police to federal authorities--will work to identify,
apprehend, convict and deport these pedophiles and molesters.”
Twenty of the arrestees are in the country illegally and nine are legal
permanent residents. Each person arrested was a citizen of one of the
following countries: Mexico, Peru, El Salvador, Ecuador, the Dominican
Republic, Haiti, Guatemala, Pakistan, Jamaica and Yemen.
ICE agents have transported those arrested to detention facilities and all
are now undergoing the process to remove them from the country.
Non-citizens with existing final orders of removal will be deported
shortly. The remaining will be scheduled to appear before an Immigration
Judge for a determination of their status.
Westchester County Commissioner of Probation Rocco Pozzi said, “Operation
Predator clearly illustrates the significant role the probation profession
contributes to maintaining the maximum level of community protection for
all victims of crimes, especially those most vulnerable without a voice –
the child victims of sexual abuse.”
ICE has a toll-free number for the public to provide leads to its
enforcement team on any violations, including tips about child
pornography, child sex offenders and others preying on children. The
toll-free number (1-866-DHS-2ICE) is monitored 24 hours a day by officers
at the ICE Law Enforcement Support Center. For more information on
Operation Predator, please visit the ICE website at www.ice.gov.
The arrests were the a result of cooperation between the ICE, officials of
the Westchester County Clerk’s Office, and the ICE Law Enforcement Support
Center in Williston, Vt.
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