Latest news with #GilbertoAvila-Jara
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Noem blasts Wu after ICE arrest in Lawrence of man accused of 20 sex crimes against Mass. child
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem blasted Boston's mayor about sanctuary city policies after federal authorities arrested an Ecuadoran man who is accused of more than 20 sex crimes against a Massachusetts child. 'Does Boston's Mayor Michelle Wu think these pedophiles are above the law? Imagine what our ICE officers could do without Sanctuary City policies that protect illegal alien criminals including child predators, murders, and rapists,' Noem said in a recent post on X. Her post came after federal officers arrested an Ecuadoran national charged with more than 20 sex crimes against a Massachusetts child, more than four years after a local court released him on bail despite authorities lodging an immigration detainer, federal officials said. Gilberto Avila-Jara, 64, of Ecuador, who is in the United States illegally, was arrested in Lawrence on April 1, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said in a statement on Friday. Officers with ICE Boston and agents from DEA New England and ATF Boston made the arrest. 'There are no appropriate words to describe the amount of damage Gilberto Avila-Jara has allegedly done to our Massachusetts community,' ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia Hyde said in a statement. 'Children are the most precious and most vulnerable members of our communities, and we will do everything in our power to protect them from illegal sex offenders.' On Dec. 18, 2020, Avila-Jara was arraigned in Lawrence District Court for more than 20 offenses including indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, rape of a child with force and aggravated statutory rape of a child, Hyde said. Later that day, ICE Boston lodged an immigration detainer against Avila-Jara with Lawrence Police. However, the Lawrence District Court refused to honor the ICE detainer and released Avila-Jara on bail on March 17, 2021, Hyde said. Massachusetts Court officials do not have the authority to hold an individual in custody solely on the basis of a Federal Civil Immigration Detainer, Massachusetts Trial Courts spokesperson Jennifer Donahue said in a statement on Monday, when contacted about Avila-Jara's release. 'In order to comply with Massachusetts law, court officers are prohibited from assisting or interfering with ICE agents in executing their obligations under Federal law,' Donahue said. 'That means that a court officer will not interfere with ICE arresting an individual who has been released. On the other hand, court officers are prohibited from keeping a released individual in custody awaiting an ICE agent.' On April 22, 2021, the Essex County Superior Court arraigned Avila-Jara for six counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, eight counts of rape of a child with force and eight counts of aggravated statutory rape of a child. Avila-Jara illegally entered the United States near San Ysidro, California on Feb. 10, 1996, without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official, Hyde said. Officers with the Immigration and Naturalization Service apprehended Avila-Jara on March 2, 1996 at the Los Angeles International Airport. On March 11, 1996, a Justice Department immigration judge ordered Avila-Jara removed from the United States back to Ecuador. Immigration and Naturalization Service removed Avila-Jara from the United States to Ecuador on July 2, 1996, Hyde said. Avila-Jara then illegally reentered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location and without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official, Hyde said. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Yahoo
Undocumented Ecuadoran charged with over 20 child sex crimes in Mass.
LAWRENCE, Mass. (WWLP) – An illegally present Ecuadoran man was arrested in Lawrence at the beginning of April by members of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for over 20 charges of child sexual assault and rape. ICE Boston said that they worked alongside federal partners from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to arrest 64-year-old Gilberto Avila-Jara. Charging documents stated that Avila illegally entered the U.S. on February 10, 1996, near San Ysidro, California. He was caught by Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) officials on March 2, 1996, at the Los Angeles International Airport. On March 11 during the same year, an immigration judge ordered that Avila be sent back to Ecuador. Mass. man charged with DUI in Vermont after crashing into brick wall On July 2, 1996, the INS returned Avila from the U.S. to Ecuador. He illegally reentered the U.S. on an unknown date and from an unknown location. Avila was arraigned in Lawrence District Court on December 18, 2020, for over 20 offenses, including indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, rape of a child with force, and aggravated statutory rape of a child. Later that day, ICE Boston lodged an immigration detainer with the Lawrence Police Department against Avila, but the Lawrence District Court refused to honor the detainer. Avila was released from custody on bail on March 17, 2021. On April 22, 2021, Avila was arraigned in Essex County Superior Court for six counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, eight counts of rape of a child with force, and eight counts of aggravated statutory rape of a child. On April 1, 2025, ICE Boston, DEA New England agents, and ATF Boston arrested Avila in Lawrence. 'There are no appropriate words to describe the amount of damage Gilberto Avila-Jara has allegedly done to our Massachusetts community,' said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. 'Children are the most precious and most vulnerable members of our communities, and we will do everything in our power to protect them from illegal sex offenders. ICE Boston remains committed to prioritizing public safety by arresting and removing alien sexual predators from New England.' WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
