A large-scale immigration operation in the Denver area nabbed nearly 250 illegal immigrants, and several had serious criminal offenses, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The agency announced on Wednesday that it had arrested 243 foreign nationals in the Denver metro area. Those detained include Tren de Aragua gang members, murderers, human traffickers, and child sex offenders, according to a news release.
The operation, which ran from July 12 to July 20, was led by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Denver. The people arrested are currently charged with or have been convicted of criminal offenses after illegally entering the United States, according to ICE, and 50 of them are subject to removal orders.
Those arrested hail from 17 countries, including Mexico, Venezuela, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia and El Salvador. They also nabbed migrants from Georgia, Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, Algeria, China, and Jordan.
Many of the illegal immigrants had been previously released into the Denver metro area by local county jails — directly into the community — because of Colorado’s sanctuary laws that prevent Sheriffs from cooperating with ICE, according to ICE.
“This operation highlights our unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our communities,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Denver Field Office Director Robert Guadian. “By partnering with federal agencies, we have successfully apprehended individuals who pose a significant threat to public safety.”
Those detained have rap sheets including:
- Homicide including murder and vehicular manslaughter: 2
- Human trafficking: 1
- Sex offenses (sex assault and sexual exploitation of a minor): 5
- Assault (aggravated assault and domestic violence): 13
- Drug offenses including distribution of fentanyl: 9
- Theft (burglary, robbery and motor vehicle theft): 8
- DUI: 17
Some of the worst offenders include:
- Rigoberto Carranza-Mendez, 47, a citizen of Mexico. He’s been convicted of murder and DUI and has since been deported.
- Johnondris Daniel Rodriguez, 28, a citizen of Venezuela. He is a suspected TdA member.
- Nicolas Diaz-Hernandez, 51, a citizen of Mexico. He’s been convicted of criminal impersonation, controlled substance distribution and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. He’s also a confirmed Los Zetas member.
- Roberto Arambula, 45, a citizen of Mexico. His criminal history includes a conviction for theft and pending charges of fentanyl distribution in Greeley.
- Tomas Arana-Fuentes, 49, a citizen of Mexico. He has pending charges for sex assault on a helpless victim, non-consensual sexual assault, and sexual assault against a victim of incapable of appraising condition.
- Jacinto Gonzalez-Perez, 25, a citizen of Mexico. He’s been convicted of careless driving resulting in death in El Paso County.
- Blanca Ochoa Tello, 36, a citizen of Mexico. When officials arrested her, they found approximately 20,000 fentanyl pills in her vehicle.
- Javier Ulises Sanchez-Andazola, 24, a citizen of Mexico. He’s been convicted of sex assault against a child and DUI in Greeley.
Other crimes include criminal impersonation, carrying a concealed weapon, false reporting, child cruelty, intimidation, hit-and-run, illegal entry and illegal reentry.
In addition, the agency said some of the people arrested are suspected or current members of gangs, including Los Zetas (1), Tren de Aragua (4), the Sinaloa Cartel (1) and “other organizations” (3).
ICE ERO Denver worked with several law enforcement partners, including ERO Dallas, Homeland Security Investigations Denver, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the DEA, ATF, FBI and IRS, according to the release.
