MARYLAND — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Baltimore arrests a member of the infamous MS-13 gang who was convicted of assault.
In addition to the conviction, the 23-year-old was also unlawfully present in Maryland.
“This Salvadoran gang member has not only displayed a disregard for U.S. immigration laws, but he has also proven to be a violent criminal and a threat to the people of Maryland,” said ERO Baltimore Field Office Director Darius Reeves. “We will not allow such malicious offenders to intimidate the residents of our communities. ERO Baltimore will continue to prioritize the safety of our public and the removal of unlawfully present threats to our neighborhoods.”
It is unknown when the Salvadoran entered the United States. What is for certain is that he wasn’t admitted by an immigration official.
According to the U.S. Border Patrol, he was first encountered near Rio Grande Valley, Texas in the fall of 2015. At the time, he was an unaccompanied minor and was eventually placed in the care of his mother in Hyattsville, MD.
His trouble with the law began not long after.
In 2017, he was charged with theft (less than $1000). In 2019, he was charged with third-degree and fourth-degree sex offenses, including sexual contact with a minor, and second-degree assault.
In 2022, he was convicted of the aforementioned assault charge and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, the court suspended all but 72 days of his sentence and dismissed the rest of the charges.
A U.S. Department of Justice immigration judge in Baltimore ordered the non-citizen to be deported back to El Salvador in June 2023. Until his removal from the United States, he will remain in ERO custody.
