A Guatemalan man residing illegally in the U.S. was apprehended by immigration officials last month for allegedly sexually assaulting a child in Rhode Island. This arrest followed his release from local custody despite a detainer request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
45-year-old Felix Meletz Guarcas faces charges of sexually assaulting a minor. (ICE)
ICE had requested that Rhode Island authorities hold Meletz Guarcas until federal agents could take him into custody for deportation proceedings. Detainers are used to ensure the transfer of individuals from local to federal custody for immigration enforcement.
"Immigration detainers are vital for public safety," stated Patricia Hyde, acting Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston. "We requested the Rhode Island Department of Corrections to detain Meletz Guarcas for transfer to our custody, but he was instead released to home confinement." Hyde added that because the Department of Corrections does not typically inform ICE about home confinement releases, agents had to apprehend Meletz Guarcas in a public parking lot in Cranston, rather than in a more secure environment.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency headquarters (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
ICE is currently unaware of when Meletz Guarcas entered the U.S. illegally. His prior record shows an arrest on February 16, 2022, by the Pawtucket Police Department for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and felony assault of police officers. He received a six-month probation sentence.
On November 20th, Meletz Guarcas was arrested again and charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child and five counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child, stemming from an incident on September 3rd.
ICE logo at headquarters (Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Meletz Guarcas currently remains in ICE custody awaiting the outcome of the charges against him.
