ICE arrests 3 criminal aliens in targeted operation

GREELEY, Colo. - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents on Wednesday arrested three criminal aliens here, including two registered sex offenders, and a member of a violent street gang. Officers from Greeley Police Department assisted with the arrests.

The two sex offenders are a 67-year-old man, and his 33-year-old son, both illegal aliens from Mexico. They have separate and unrelated convictions based on sex offenses with underage girls. In 1989, the father was convicted in a Los Angeles, Calif., Superior Court of sexually assaulting his then 12-year-old daughter. He served three years in prison. His son was convicted in 2003 in the Weld County Court at Greeley, Colo., for sexual assault on his 15-year-old girlfriend when he was 27 years old. He received a five-year deferred sentence.

The third subject is 24-year-old Mexican man who is an active member of the Norteno street gang, which operates in the Greeley area. His gang membership is documented with the Weld County Court system and the Greeley/Weld Police authorities. Although he is a U.S. permanent resident, his criminal convictions make him eligible for deportation. He has a felony conviction for “menacing,” and two misdemeanor convictions for child abuse and third-degree assault, which are all separate convictions. The father and son from Mexico were both arrested under ICE's "Operation Predator." Operation Predator is a national ICE initiative that protects children by investigating and presenting for prosecution pedophiles, Internet predators, human traffickers, international sex tourists, and other predatory criminals.

The street gang member was arrested under ICE's "Operation Community Shield." Operation Community Shield is an ongoing nationwide initiative in which ICE agents partner with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to address the public safety threat posed by transnational gangs.