Xiong Pao Vang/Laos/Lascivious Acts with a Minor

Xiong Pao Vang, a 52-year-old illegal alien from Laos, was arrested as part of a coordinated law enforcement operation involving Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the U.S. Marshals Service. Vang, a previously convicted sex offender, has a serious criminal history that includes a conviction for committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14.

Law enforcement officials identified Vang as unlawfully present in the United States and prioritized his apprehension due to the nature of his crimes. His prior conviction involved a minor victim, which elevated him to a high-risk category for targeted arrest during joint enforcement efforts. Vang had previously evaded immigration enforcement after completing his criminal sentence, prompting federal officers to act on intelligence and secure his arrest.

The operation was executed without incident, and Vang was taken into ICE custody, where he will remain as removal proceedings are initiated. Due to the gravity of his conviction, federal officers emphasized the necessity of his detention and removal from the U.S. under current enforcement priorities.