ERO Boston arrests Colombian national charged with rape of Massachusetts minor

BOSTON - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston arrested a 42-year-old Colombian charged in Massachusetts with rape of a child by force, statutory rape, and aggravated rape against a minor. Officers with ERO Boston arrested Billy Erney Buitrago-Bustos Nov. 15 in Pittsfield.

"Billy Erney Buitrago-Bustos stands accused of the most heinous and reprehensible of crimes," said acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde of ERO Boston. "We thank our law enforcement partners at the Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction for prioritizing public safety and protecting children in the communities they were appointed to serve. ERO Boston stands committed to arresting and removing egregious noncitizen threats from the community."

U.S. Customs and Border Protection admitted Buitrago-Bustos into the United States May 4, 2016, at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and failed to depart under the terms of his visa.

The Great Barrington Police Department arrested Buitrago-Bustos Oct. 8, 2023, for rape of a child by force, statutory rape, and aggravated rape. ERO Boston lodged an immigration detainer with the Great Barrington Police Department upon their arrest of Buitrago-Bustos. On Oct. 12, 2023, the Southern Berkshire District Court arraigned Buitrago-Bustos on the charges and ordered Buitrago-Bustos held without bail. These charges were elevated March 18 to the Berkshire County Superior Court.

The Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction in Pittsfield honored the immigration detainer and released Buitrago-Bustos into the custody of ERO Boston Nov. 15 after he posted bail. ERO Boston issued Buitrago-Bustos a notice to appear before a Department of Justice Executive Office of Immigration Review judge. Buitrago-Bustos remains in ERO custody.

ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with the Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review. The Executive Office for Immigration Review is a separate entity from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 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 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 New England communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBoston.