25 criminal aliens and documented street gang members arrested (WINK-Naples, FL)

25 criminal aliens and documented street gang members arrested

Story Created: Sep 3, 2008 at 4:59 PM EDT

NAPLES, Fla. - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Fort Myers and the Collier County Sheriff's Office arrested 25 criminal aliens and documented street gang members following a two-day enforcement operation targeting criminal aliens and street gang members in the Naples area.

On August 28 and 29, teams of ICE agents and officers from the Collier County Sheriff's Office administratively arrested the 25 individuals for immigration violations. Of those arrested, the Task Force members identified two documented gang members affiliated with "La Raza" and "Sur 13" gangs and a registered sex offender.

In September 2007, the Collier County Sheriff's Office was granted immigration enforcement authority of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). ICE Office of Investigations in Fort Myers oversees the task force agents whose duties include the investigation and identification of criminal aliens within Collier County, Florida.

Criminal aliens are non-citizens who have committed felonies or other crimes that make them ineligible to remain in the United States in accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Additionally, criminal aliens who are potentially removable include lawful permanent residents (such as holders of a U.S. Permanent Resident Card) who are convicted of a removable offense as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). All 25 individuals were arrested on immigration charges including lawful permanent residents with criminal convictions, who are amenable to removal from the United States. The immigration violators arrested during this operation, who have not already been ordered removed, have been charged with immigration violations and placed into removal proceedings. They await hearings before an immigration judge.

Some of the criminal histories associated with these individuals include battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, felony drug trafficking, burglary, felony drug possession, carrying a concealed firearm, battery on a law enforcement officer, domestic violence, lewd/lascivious battery and battery on a pregnant woman. All the individuals arrested are being held in ICE custody pending their deportation proceedings. Additionally, two of the arrested illegal aliens were found to be in possession of a firearm and are pending federal criminal charges.

Those arrested are from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, Haiti, Bahamas, St. Lucia and Suriname.

Among those arrested include:

- Emanuel Alce, 28, a Bahamian national. Alce was ordered removed by an immigration judge in January 2008 based on being in the country illegally.

- Woodley Delva, 22, a Haitian national. He is amenable for removal based on a criminal conviction for lewd and lascivious battery where he was sentenced to 1 year in jail and two years probation. He is a registered sexual offender in the State of Florida.

- Julio Ledezma-Vasquez, 40, a Mexican national. He is amenable for removal based on a criminal conviction for trafficking cocaine and is currently on Florida state probation.

- Francisco Francisco, 38, a Guatemalan national. He is amenable for removal based on an aggravated felony criminal conviction for Sale/Delivery/Manufacturing of a controlled substance and possession with intent/sell/deliver of controlled substance.