Arnoldo Antonio Prieto-Lopez/El Salvador/Child Cruelty, Fentanyl Trafficking

ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia arrested 51-year-old Salvadoran national Arnoldo Antonio Prieto-Lopez on October 20 following his release from the Federal Correctional Institution Allenwood Low in Pennsylvania, where he was serving a 24-month federal sentence for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Despite previously holding lawful permanent resident status, he is removable under federal law and is classified as a clear threat to public safety because of his extensive criminal history.

ERO Philadelphia’s Criminal Alien Program first encountered Prieto-Lopez at Allenwood Low on July 30, 2024, issuing an immigration detainer and warrant; local authorities honored the detainer and transferred him safely to ICE custody on October 20. His record spans multiple states and decades, including a 1988 attempted robbery conviction in Los Angeles; 1998 willful cruelty to a child in Riverside County; 1999 failure to provide for a minor in San Bernardino County; a 2014 attempted money laundering conviction in Arizona; and the 2023 fentanyl trafficking conviction in New Jersey.

An ERO Philadelphia acting field office spokesman said officers “will not allow criminals to hide behind immigration status” and vowed to arrest, detain, and remove those who threaten public safety. Prieto-Lopez remains detained pending immigration proceedings.