Abel Villegas-Escobar/Mexico/Felony Sex Offense

On May 12, 2025, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Denver arrested Abel Villegas-Escobar, a 40-year-old Mexican national with a felony conviction for a sex offense. Villegas-Escobar was taken into ICE custody following coordination with local law enforcement, who flagged his immigration status upon his release from a Colorado detention facility.

Villegas-Escobar’s felony sex offense conviction stems from a prior criminal case involving conduct that resulted in a significant sentence. He completed his term of incarceration earlier this year and was immediately identified as an enforcement priority due to the severity of his conviction and his lack of lawful immigration status in the United States.

ERO Denver officers apprehended Villegas-Escobar shortly after his release and transferred him to an ICE detention facility for processing. He has no lawful status in the U.S. and no pending applications for immigration relief. Records also indicate this was not his first encounter with immigration authorities, having been previously detained by ICE before reentering the U.S. unlawfully.

He is currently in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge. The agency is preparing for removal proceedings while coordinating with Mexican authorities in anticipation of a final removal order.