Juan Rene Barcenes-Velasquez/Guatemala/Sex Crimes Against Minor

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 56-year-old Juan Rene Barcenes-Velasquez, an illegal Guatemalan alien charged with sex crimes against a Massachusetts minor. Officers with ICE Boston took custody of Barcenes-Velasquez when officers from the Worcester District Court turned him over to ICE March 31.

“Juan Rene Barcenes-Velasquez illegally entered the United States and unlawfully settled in Massachusetts,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde said in a statement. “Now he has apparently repeatedly victimized a child, doing unthinkable damage to her. Barcenes-Velasquez represents a significant threat to our community that ICE Boston will not tolerate. We will continue to prioritize the safety of New England by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders.”

It is not known when Barcenes-Velasquez illegally entered the United States.

The Worcester District Court arraigned Barcenes-Velasquez May 27, 2003, for abuse of a prevention order. The court convicted Barcenes-Velasquez of that crime and placed him on probation.

On March 31, the Worcester District Court arraigned Barcenes-Velasquez for five counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years of age. Later that day, ICE Boston lodged an immigration detainer against Barcenes-Velasquez with the Worcester District Court, which the court honored.

Other Massachusetts courts have not honored similar detainer requests.

“We are happy that our law enforcement partners opted to honor our immigration detainer against Barcenes-Velasquez,” Hyde said in the statement. “It is refreshing that our partners in Worcester placed a priority on public safety. The alternative would be for ICE to send a team of officers to make an at-large arrest potentially placing the officers, the offender — and most importantly, the community — in harm’s way.”