The father of Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, the Milford teen detained by ICE, has driving infractions dating back to 2014, a source familiar with his driving record tells 25 Investigates.
On Monday, ICE officials said they were looking for Marcelo’s father, Joao Paulo Gomes-Pereira, because he had a habit of reckless driving, including going over 100-hundred miles an hour in residential areas.
25 Investigates found one record in the courts of a citation issued in July 2023.
According to court records, Milford police cited Gomes-Pereira for failing to yield to a stop sign and driving with a revoked license as a habitual traffic offender.
It’s not clear exactly why his license was revoked.
Lyons addressed the Milford operation during a news conference in Boston on Monday morning, detailed that Marcelo happened to be driving his father’s car Saturday morning on his way to volleyball practice with teammates when he was pulled over.
“We were looking for his father. Obviously, he isn’t the father of the year because he brought his son up here illegally as well... They made a traffic stop on that vehicle, which was the father’s vehicle. (Marcelo) was driving that vehicle,” Lyons said.
The detainment of Gomes-Da Silva sparked a large protest at Milford Town Hall on Sunday, and his classmates walked out of class on Monday afternoon in support of him.
A sea of students, including Gomes’ girlfriend, were heard chanting, “Free Marcelo!”
State Rep. Jake Auchincloss took part in Sunday’s protest. He says that the town of Milford doesn’t condone the act of detaining a student.
“If you’re here illegally and you break the law, you should be deported,” Auchincloss said. “Milford does not agree that if you’ve been here since before kindergarten, you’re an honor student, you’re a member of the high school band, that you should be getting bullied by immigration authorities while you’re carpooling with your friends.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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