An illegal immigrant accused of raping a child has been released back into the community by a Massachusetts court.
Guatemala native Maynor Francisco Hernandez-Rodas was arrested by police in Lowell, Massachusets, on June 14 and charged with raping a child.
Two weeks after his arrest for the aggravated rape of a child, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers reportedly lodged an immigration detainer for Hernandez-Rodas, requesting custody over his alleged crimes.
Local law enforcement, however, ignored the detainer, allowing Hernandez-Rodas to be released after pleading not guilty in court.
Federal agents later tracked him through his GPS monitor and apprehended him on September 20. He is now in federal custody, with further action pending.
ICE’s Boston Enforcement and Removal Operations described him as a “significant danger” to children, noting his illegal entry into the U.S. as a “gotaway.” ICE had issued the detainer to keep him in custody for up to 48 hours past his release, giving immigration authorities time to take over for removal proceedings.
“Maynor Francisco Hernandez-Rodas stands accused of horrific crimes against a Massachusetts child,” ERO Boston acting field office director Patricia Hyde said in a statement.
“He represents a significant danger to the children of our community that we will not tolerate. ERO Boston will continue to prioritise public safety by arresting and removing egregious non-citizen threats from our New England neighborhoods.”
