ERO Washington, D.C. assists in apprehension of foreign national who escaped custody to avoid deportation

RICHMOND, Va. - Dennis Arnoldo Zeledon Hernandez, an unlawfully present Salvadoran noncitizen, was sentenced Dec. 4 to one year and six months in prison for obstructing an agency proceeding.

"This case highlights the critical importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies to ensure public safety and uphold the integrity of our immigration system," said Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C. Field Office Director Liana Castano. "Apprehending noncitizens who attempt to evade lawful custody is a priority, as it reinforces our commitment to enforcing the law and protecting our communities."

Zeledon was encountered by immigration officials at the U.S.-Mexico border near Hidalgo, Texas, July 2016. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials served Zeledon with a notice to appear and a warning that failure to appear may result in a removal order and arrest and detention by the Department of Homeland Security. A Department of Justice immigration judge ordered Zeledon released on bond Sept. 13, 2016.

In May 2018, an immigration court mailed a notice of hearing to Zeledon's address, notifying him of his master hearing on Dec. 9, 2019, in Arlington, Virginia. In addition, Zeledon made a phone call to an immigration court hotline that informed him of the date, time, and location of his master hearing.

Zeledon failed to appear at the Dec. 9, 2019, hearing, and an immigration judge ordered Zeledon removed in absentia.

Zeledon was arrested in York, Virginia, May 14, 2023, for driving under the influence, carrying a concealed weapon, and child neglect. ERO Washington, D.C. received notice that Zeledon had been arrested and issued a warrant of removal, resulting in Zeledon's transfer to the Caroline Detention Facility in Bowling Green, Virginia, May 17, 2023.

Zeledon exited a building within the detention facility July 2, 2023, ran across a field, scaled a fence using sheets he had tied to serve as rope and climbed onto the roof of an administration building. He ran across the roof to a side facing a public parking lot, jumped to the ground and ran across the parking lot into the nearby woods.

Zeledon walked for two or three days after his escape until he met a Spanish-speaking man in a parking lot outside of a restaurant. The man allowed Zeledon to use his cell phone to call a friend who lived in North Carolina. Zeledon's friend agreed to travel to pick him up and take him back to North Carolina.

Over 100 members of law enforcement, including state, local, and federal officials, participated in the fugitive search for Zeledon. Members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force arrested Zeledon July 7, 2023, in an apartment complex in Durham, North Carolina.

ERO is one of ICE's three operational directorates and 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 can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ICE's mission to increase public safety in our local communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EROWashington.