U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Luis Meza-Olivera, a Peruvian national, on March 14 in Nashville, Tennessee, following a tip from a school official who reported that his daughter feared he would kill her mother upon his release from local custody, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The arrest highlights how local tips can trigger federal immigration enforcement in cases involving individuals with prior violent convictions and pending removal eligibility, particularly when concerns are raised about immediate threats to public safety.
Meza-Olivera has a criminal history spanning multiple states, including convictions in Tennessee for aggravated kidnapping, arson, and aggravated assault, as well as a conviction for driving under the influence in California. Records also show prior charges in Tennessee for attempted first-degree murder and vandalism, along with a charge in California for willful cruelty to a child.
According to court documents, Meza-Olivera locked a woman in a bathroom and lit a fire outside the door in 2011 while she was unable to escape. In a separate 2015 incident, authorities in Washington County, Tennessee, found a woman locked in a bedroom, bound and restrained with a rope around her neck.
Court records state that a five-year-old child called 911 during the incident to report that his mother was in danger.
Federal authorities said Immigration and Customs Enforcement became aware of Meza-Olivera’s release through a school official who contacted law enforcement after the suspect’s daughter expressed concern about her mother’s safety. He was taken into custody and is currently being held pending removal proceedings.
Meza-Olivera entered the United States in 2002 on a B-2 tourist visa and later adjusted his status to lawful permanent resident in 2010, according to federal officials. His criminal convictions make him eligible for removal under federal immigration law.
“Luis Meza-Olivera is a monster whose daughter feared he would kill her mother,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said. “Thanks to a school official who left a tip for ICE, this individual is now in ICE custody and will enter removal proceedings.”
