ERO Boston removes Ecuadorian fugitive from US

BOSTON - Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston removed a 30-year-old unlawfully present Ecuadorian national who is wanted by authorities in his home country to answer for rape charges. On May 21, deportation officers from ERO Boston removed Ricardo Andre Barrera-Peleaz from the United States to Ecuador.

"Ricardo Andre Barrera-Peleaz fled rape charges in his own country and attempted to hide out in Massachusetts," said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons. "He represented a significant threat to the residents of our community, and we couldn't allow him to potentially victimize someone else. Now, he will face justice in Ecuador. ERO Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by apprehending and removing egregious noncitizen offenders from New England."

Barrera-Peleaz lawfully entered the United States on Aug. 31, 2022, in Miami, Florida, but violated the terms of entry into the United States.

On Feb. 2, 2024, Ecuadorian authorities issued a warrant for the Barrera-Peleaz's arrest on rape charges.

ERO Boston became aware of his presence in its area of operations March 14.

Deportation officers from ERO Boston arrested Barrera-Peleaz April 4 near his residence in Worcester. The officers issued him a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge and took him into custody.

On April 29, 2024, an immigration judge ordered Barrera-Peleaz removed from the United States to Ecuador.

He remained in ERO custody until deportation officers from ERO Boston removed him to Ecuador May 21 and handed him over to Ecuadorian authorities.

ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with Department of Justice'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 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.

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