Fugitive convicted of homicide, firearms crimes in Brazil arrested in Massachusetts, feds say
A Brazilian fugitive convicted of homicide and other crimes in his native country has been arrested in Marlboro, federal officials said.
Jomar Henrique Souza-Santos, 33, a Brazilian national who is in the United States illegally, was arrested in Marlboro on March 20, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement on Friday.
Souza-Santos failed to serve time in prison after being convicted of homicide and illegal possession of a firearm in Brazil, ICE officials said.
Officers from ICE Boston and agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration New England made the arrest.
'Jomar Henrique Souza-Santos murdered a person in his native country and attempted to subvert justice by hiding out in Massachusetts,' ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Patricia Hyde said in a statement.
'By his own selfish refusal to repay his debt to society, he presented a threat to the residents of New England,' Hyde said. 'ICE Boston will not allow our communities to become safe havens for the world's reprobates. We will continue to prioritize the safety of our public by removing criminal alien threats from our neighborhoods.'
Brazilian authorities issued a criminal arrest warrant for Souza-Santos on Oct. 27, 2023, for failure to serve a sentence after his convictions for homicide and illegal possession of a firearm.
U.S. Border Patrol arrested Souza-Santos July 23, 2022, after he illegally entered the United States near El Paso, Texas.
On Sept. 23, 2022, ICE Boston issued Souza-Santos a notice to appear before a Justice Department immigration judge and released him on an order of recognizance.
Marlboro is a city in Middlesex County, northeast of Worcester. The city's population was 41,793 at the 2020 census.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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