U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer request in Florida seeking custody of a Guatemalan national accused of sexually abusing a minor over a period investigators say may have stretched back two years.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, 20-year-old Henry Roldan Perez-Roblero was arrested May 9 in Martin County on a felony charge of sexual battery involving a victim under the age of 12.
Federal immigration authorities said ICE lodged a detainer asking local officials not to release Perez-Roblero from custody while immigration proceedings move forward.
Investigators allege Perez-Roblero repeatedly sexually abused a 12-year-old girl, with authorities believing the alleged abuse began when the child was approximately 10 years old.
Local reporting cited by DHS and Breitbart News, investigators accused Perez-Roblero of engaging in repeated sexual activity with the victim over multiple incidents rather than a single occurrence.
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement that ICE intends to coordinate with Florida authorities to ensure Perez-Roblero is transferred into federal immigration custody if released from local detention.
Federal officials stated Perez-Roblero illegally entered the United States near Nogales in January 2021 as an unaccompanied minor during the Biden administration.
According to DHS, an immigration judge later issued Perez-Roblero a final order of removal on Jan. 22, 2025.
The case is part of a broader federal effort emphasizing cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities in cases involving noncitizens accused of violent or sexual offenses.
Perez-Roblero remains in local custody as the criminal case proceeds.
As with all criminal cases, the allegations against Perez-Roblero remain accusations unless proven in court.
