Abel Osbaldo Mendez/Guatemala/Sexual Battery of a Child

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Abel Osbaldo Mendez, a 29-year-old illegal alien from Guatemala with convictions for sexual battery of a child and illegal reentry upon his release from U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Federal Correctional Institution, Otisville in Orange County, New York, March 28.

Mendez was previously deported after U.S. Border Patrol Agents initially encountered Mendez April 25, 2014, while he was illegally entering Texas from Mexico. According to ICE, Mendez falsely stated to the agents that he was born in Acayucan, Veracruz, Mexico, and was a citizen and native of Mexico. U.S. Border Patrol placed him into expedited removal proceedings and on May 3, 2014, removed him to Mexico via Brownville, Texas port of entry. Mendez unlawfully reentered the U.S. again on an unknown date after his 2014 removal.

Suffolk County Police Department arrested Mendez for the crime of sex assault March 20, 2019. ICE encountered Mendez April 15, 2019, and issued him a notice to appear before a Justice Department immigration judge and placed him into removal proceedings under his true nationality and citizenship of Guatemala.

Mendez was convicted of sexual battery of a child April 25, 2019, and sentenced to 12 months in prison.

A Justice Department immigration judge ordered Mendez removed from the U.S. July 1, 2019. He was deported again to Guatemala Dec. 18, 2019.

Mendez was arrested again Aug. 3, 2020, after he illegally reentered the U.S. and Border patrol processed him for reinstatement of prior removal order. Mendez was removed from the U.S. for the third time Feb. 3, 2021. ICE officers encountered Mendez in Virginia May 22, 2024, and processed him for reinstatement of prior removal order. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, prosecuted Mendez for illegal reentry, a charge for which he was convicted Nov. 21, 2024, and sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Mendez is a registered sex offender in Virginia.