ICE - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

05/09/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/09/2024 12:42

ERO Boston arrests unlawfully present Cape Verde national repeatedly convicted of serial lewd conduct

BOSTON - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston arrested an unlawfully present Cape Verdean citizen convicted locally of repeated lewd conduct offenses. Deportation officers from ERO Boston apprehended the 37-year-old Cape Verde national in Dorchester April 24. The Cape Verde national has been convicted of open, lewd conduct and indecent exposure more than 10 times since 2006.

"This individual has victimized the residents of Massachusetts repeatedly with his disturbing acts," said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons. "This individual's repeated history of convictions for open, lewd conduct render him a public safety threat to communities throughout several Massachusetts neighborhoods. ERO Boston will apprehend and remove those who are unlawfully present and repeatedly violate our laws."

In September 2003, the Cape Verde native was lawfully admitted into the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New York, New York.

In June 2006, the Cape Verde national was arrested and convicted of open, lewd offenses or indecent exposure in Charlestown.

He was again arrested and convicted of open lewd offenses in Boston in July 2009 and July 2010; and in Dorchester in 2013 and 2015. He served jail time for each conviction.

On April 6, 2021, the Cape Verdean was again arrested and convicted of open lewdness in Dorchester District Court.

On Jan. 13, 2022, he was convicted of open and gross lewdness in West Roxbury District Court. This conviction nullified his previous legal immigration status.

ERO Boston officers arrested the Cape Verde national without incident near his residence in Dorchester. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

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 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.