(The Center Square) – After illegally entering the country at the southwest border and being released by Border Patrol agents, violent criminals continue to be arrested thousands of miles north, near Boston.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) Boston agents recently arrested a 34-year-old Haitian illegally in the country convicted of aggravated rape, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a pregnant victim among other charges.
Marc Kervens Beauvais illegally entered the U.S. on June 26, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. Instead of being processed for removal, Border Patrol agents released him into the U.S. with a notice to appear before an immigration judge at a date later in the future.
By July 31, 2024, still in the country illegally, he was arrested by Peabody Police Department officers on aggravated rape charges, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a pregnant victim and attempt to commit a crime. Peabody is roughly 30 minutes north of Boston and less than ten minutes from Salem.
Kervens Beauvais was charged “with committing unspeakable acts against a pregnant woman in Massachusetts,” ICE-ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd Lyons said. “We simply cannot allow anyone that poses such a threat to prey upon the residents of our communities.” He remains in ICE custody as of August 13.
Last month, ICE-ERO Boston agents apprehended a 43-year-old Colombian national in the country illegally, twice convicted of assault and battery on a family or household member.
Elkin Arturo Yarce-Munera illegally entered the U.S. near Brownsville, Texas, on May 1, 2022. Instead of being processed for removal, Border Patrol agents released him “on an order of recognizance” to appear before a federal immigration judge.
By January 2023, still in the country illegally, he was arraigned in the Chelsea District Court for charges of assault and battery on a family or household member, and again in March 2023, for alleged assault and battery and an Abuse Prevention Act violation.
ICE then lodged an immigration detainer with Chelsea District Court but the Nashua Street Jail refused the request and released him into the general public. The court convicted him on all counts in December 2023.
ICE then lodged a detainer request with the East Boston District Court six months later. This court also refused to comply and released him.
He was next arrested by Boston police officers for making a false statement and forgery and arraigned in May. By July, ICE agents arrested him and took him into custody, finding in his possession fraudulent U.S. Social Security and permanent resident cards.
“Elkin Arturo Yarce-Munera has proven, more than once, to be a threat to the safety of our Massachusetts residents,” Lyons said. “We cannot allow this to continue while we have the means to prevent it. ERO Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by apprehending and removing egregious noncitizen offenders from our New England neighborhoods.”
In another case, ICE-ERO Boston agents last month removed a 23-year-old Brazilian fugitive who was wanted for attempted homicide in his home country.
Felipe Augusto De Oliveira illegally entered the U.S. near Lukeville, Arizona, on March 28, 2023. Instead of being processed for removal, Border Patrol agents gave him a notice to appear before an immigration judge and “released him on an order of recognizance.”
Appearing not to be properly vetted, it was later determined that Brazilian authorities issued a warrant for his arrest on an attempted homicide charge.
It would take more than a year for ICE agents to locate and arrest him in Lowell, Mass. on May 2. On July 1, an immigration judge ordered him removed from the U.S.
“Felipe Augusto De Oliveira attempted to use our Massachusetts communities to evade an attempted homicide charge in his home country,” Lyons said. “Now he has been returned to Brazil to face justice there. We cannot allow the world’s criminals to use our New England neighborhoods as hideouts from the law.”
In another instance, ICE-ERO Boston agents removed a 42-year-old Brazilian national illegally in the U.S. who was convicted of armed carjacking in Brazil. Adinan De Souza-Fontoura illegally entered the country near San Ysidro, California, and was apprehended by Border Patrol agents on Sept. 11, 2021. Instead of processing him for removal, they released him with a notice to appear before an immigration judge.
De Souza-Fontoura had been convicted of aggravated theft-armed carjacking and sentenced to more than five years in prison; an arrest warrant was also issued in Brazil for failing to serve his sentence.
It would take another two and half years for ICE agents to find and arrest him in Quincy, Mass. – on May 30 – 3,000 miles from where he illegally entered the U.S. On July 9, an immigration judge ordered his removal, which occurred July 26.
De Souza “fled to the United States to avoid a prison sentence,” Lyons said. “He has shown a propensity to commit violent actions and posed a threat to the residents of Massachusetts. Now he will return to his home country to face justice there.”
