Fugitive Wanted for Rape Deported from U.S. After 16 Years on the Run

WASHINGTON, District of Columbia — On July 17, 2024, Alejandro Piedras-Padilla, a 42-year-old Mexican fugitive wanted for rape in Mexico, was deported from the U.S.

According to Liana J. Castano, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Washington, D.C., Piedras-Padilla had been hiding in Virginia to avoid facing justice in Mexico. “He was a serious threat to our communities,” Castano said. “We won’t let our neighborhoods be safe havens for criminals.”

Piedras-Padilla was first arrested by U.S. Border Patrol on July 30, 2008, after illegally entering the U.S. near Laredo, Texas. Although he was sent back to Mexico, he later reentered the U.S. without proper documentation.

On October 9, 2023, ERO placed an immigration detainer on Piedras-Padilla after his arrest by Prince William County Police in Virginia. Although the local charges were dropped, the detention center transferred him to ERO custody on May 30, 2024. He received a notice to appear before an immigration judge.

On June 11, 2024, a DOJ immigration judge in Annandale, Virginia, ordered Piedras-Padilla’s removal to Mexico, where authorities want him for rape charges.

ERO uses immigration detainers to manage individuals who are in the U.S. illegally and have been arrested for crimes. These detainers ask local law enforcement to notify ICE before releasing these individuals, allowing ERO to take them into custody for deportation.

“Detainers are essential for public safety,” the source stated, “as they help focus resources on individuals who pose a criminal threat.”

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