A 29-year-old illegal migrant with a history of violent felonies, Ivan Lopez-Ramos of Mexico, has been arraigned on felony charges in Seattle for unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported in 2022. Lopez-Ramos, a registered sex offender, pleaded not guilty on Thursday in the United States District Court of Western Washington.
Despite his extensive criminal history, Magistrate Judge S. Kate Vaughn did not order Lopez-Ramos’s immediate deportation. Instead, the court set a trial date for January 21, 2025, and ordered him to remain in custody at FDC SeaTac pending trial.
Lopez-Ramos’s criminal record includes multiple violent felonies committed in Washington state since 2019. His latest arrest occurred on August 29, 2024, in Mountlake Terrace, where he was booked on charges of felony domestic violence and assault. In a prior incident on September 5, 2023, he was accused of crashing his vehicle on I-5 in Lynnwood, attempting to carjack multiple vehicles, and evading law enforcement on foot.
Deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in October 2022, Lopez-Ramos returned to the United States illegally at an unknown date. Following his August arrest, he was transferred from Snohomish County Jail to federal custody on September 6, 2024. Judge Mary Alice Theiler issued a detention order on September 24, citing Lopez-Ramos’s risk of flight, dangerousness, and repeated noncompliance with legal authorities.
The judge highlighted his “pattern of violent criminal conduct,” resistance to law enforcement, history of nonappearance in court, mental health issues, and possible gang association. Court records also reveal that Lopez-Ramos has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Since his unlawful re-entry, Lopez-Ramos has accumulated additional charges, including failure to register as a sex offender, felony harassment with threats to kill, second-degree assault, hit-and-run, and eluding law enforcement. He also faces charges for interfering with the reporting of domestic violence and malicious mischief.
Lopez-Ramos is believed to have family in the Seattle area, though their immigration statuses remain unclear.
ICE encourages members of the public to report crimes or suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or submitting tips online. This case underscores the ongoing challenges posed by repeat offenders who unlawfully re-enter the United States and the risks they pose to public safety.
