A convicted child sexual predator is behind bars once again after allegedly driving drunk and causing a fatal motorcycle crash that killed a husband and wife in Benton County, Arkansas.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged an immigration detainer on Jose Luis Gomez and called him a “serial criminal illegal alien.” He is also wanted on a felony warrant in California, a sanctuary state.
Gomez, 45, has been charged with two counts of negligent homicide and one count of first-offense DWI in connection with a crash that killed 70-year-old Michael Cordes and his wife, 67-year-old Freda Cordes. They were riding their Harley-Davidson motorcycle when Gomez crashed into them.
“Gomez should not have been in this country,” ICE shared on social media. “He was convicted in 2016 of ORAL SEX WITH A CHILD UNDER 16 and was sentenced to two years in prison. Plus, he was convicted of felony CRUELTY TOWARD A CHILD after being charged in 2013.”
DETAINER ISSUED AGAINST CONVICTED CHILD SEX PREDATOR IN CONNECTION WITH NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE & DUI CHARGES
Jose Luis Gomez, a serial criminal illegal alien, is charged with two counts of negligent homicide and DWI in connection with a crash that killed husband-and-wife… pic.twitter.com/yjKtXDxOoe
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) April 5, 2026
The crash occurred around 12:15 p.m. on March 26 on U.S. Highway 62 in Avoca, Arkansas, which is in the northwestern corner of the state not far from the Missouri state line.
The Cordeses lived in nearby Rogers and were out for a spring ride on a clear day, according to local reports and the Arkansas State Police.
KNWA FOX 24 initially identified the driver as Jose Gamez, 45, of Pea Ridge, but ICE later released his name as Jose Gomez.
He was driving a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe and reportedly turned into the path of the oncoming motorcycle, driven by Michael Cordes, according to the APS news release.
Both Michael and Freda Cordes were pronounced dead at the scene. Gomez was not injured.
At the scene, troopers said Gomez showed signs of impairment. Arkansas State Police conducted a field sobriety test and blood draw, which indicated that he was driving under the influence.
Troopers then obtained video of the crash that showed Gomez failing to yield to oncoming traffic and colliding with the motorcycle.
According to the crash report, the weather was clear and the roadway was dry at the time of the crash. No other injuries were reported.
“This tragedy was entirely preventable,” said Arkansas State Police Director Col. Mike Hagar. “Our Troopers acted swiftly to apprehend a dangerous individual who should never have been on Arkansas roads in the first place.”
Besides negligent homicide and DWI, Gomez was charged with one count of improper entry or exit at an intersection. Bond was set at $500,000 for one negligent homicide charge, with cash or surety required for the remaining charges, KNWA reported.
Arkansas State Police also said that Gomez has an active nationwide felony warrant from Los Angeles County, California. ASP or ICE officials did not release additional details about the California warrant against Gomez.
ICE lodged a detainer with the Benton County detention facility following his arrest to prevent him being released into the community.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement on Gomez’s arrest following the double fatality, and railed against Democrats for stalling funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“Every day that Senate Democrats delay funding for DHS is another day that immigration officials cannot operate at full capacity and apprehend the violent, criminal illegals hurting our communities,” Sanders said. “I’m grateful to Arkansas State Police for arresting this criminal and thankful that President Trump is working quickly to deport violent, criminal illegals.”
Sanders signed the Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act in 2025 “to get these violent offenders off our streets and out of our country,” she said.
The legislation enhanced penalties for illegal immigrants who commit additional crimes while in Arkansas, expanded Arkansas’ sanctuary city ban to include unincorporated areas and counties, and mandated Arkansas law enforcement participate in the 287(g) program and cooperate with federal immigration officials.
Sanders also took a shot at Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, for her comments on the Save America Act, saying it “Disenfranchises half of the population in the United States.”
During Biden’s border crisis, Sanders deployed Arkansas National Guardsmen to the southern border to assist Texas law enforcement as they dealt with the influx of illegal immigrants.
“I knew Joe Biden let in a lot of illegals but I didn’t realize it was that many!” Sanders shared on X with a clip of Omar’s commentary.
While other states make daily headlines for illegal alien crime, Arkansas has taken a tough stance on illegal criminals but had several of its own residents become victims.
In September 2024, Little Rock nurse Jennifer Ann Morton was killed in a drunk driving accident by illegal immigrant Maynor Yair Sorto-Herrera. The Honduran national was previously deported from the United States in 2018 and held on a slew of charges following the deadly crash.
In November 2024, Arkansas troopers arrested Elias Avila Bustillo, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador wanted in his home country for illegal gang association.
In January 2025, Arkansas State Police arrested Luis Danielle Valdez-Reyes, a violent illegal immigrant who was on the run after striking an Arkansas State Trooper.
