ERO Boston apprehends Dominican citizen charged locally with child molestation and sexual assault

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston apprehended an unlawfully present Dominican national recently arrested by Rhode Island police for first- and second-degree child molestation and first-degree sexual assault. Deportation officers from ERO Boston arrested the 37-year-old Dominican citizen April 15 in Providence.

"This unlawfully present Dominican national represents a significant safety threat, as he currently faces multiple felony child sexual assault charges," said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons. "We will not relent in our mission to protect communities throughout the New England region from the most egregious noncitizen offenders. ERO Boston continues our commitment to this critical mission."

The Dominican citizen unlawfully entered the United States on unknown date at an unknown location without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

On Nov. 4, 2023, police in Providence arrested him and charged him with two counts of first-degree child molestation, one count of second-degree child molestation, and one count of first-degree sexual assault.

The unlawfully present Dominican national posted bail and was released by the Rhode Island Department of Corrections on Nov. 16, 2023.

On April 15, deportation officers from ERO Boston's Providence office arrested the Dominican citizen without incident. He will remain in ICE custody pending a future hearing before a Department of Justice (DOJ) immigration judge.

ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with DOJ's Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is a separate entity from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal.

As one of ICE's three operational directorates, 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 with information regarding child sex offenders can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ERO Boston's mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBoston.