Noem blasts Wu after ICE arrest in Lawrence of man accused of 20 sex crimes against Mass. child

LAWRENCE, Mass. — U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem blasted Boston’s mayor about sanctuary city policies after ICE arrested an accused child rapist from Ecuador in Lawrence who is charged with more than 20 sex crimes against a Massachusetts child.

“Does Boston’s Mayor Michelle Wu think these pedophiles are above the law? Imagine what our ICE officers could do without Sanctuary City policies that protect illegal alien criminals including child predators, murders, and rapists,” Noem said in a recent post on X. Boston 25 has reached out to Wu’s office for comment.

Noem’s post came after ICE Boston officers arrested Gilberto Avila-Jara, 64, of Ecuador, who is in the United States illegally, in Lawrence, more than four years after a local court released him on bail despite authorities lodging an immigration detainer, federal officials said.

Avila-Jara was arrested in Lawrence on April 1, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said in a statement on Friday. Officers with ICE Boston and agents from DEA New England and ATF Boston made the arrest.

“There are no appropriate words to describe the amount of damage Gilberto Avila-Jara has allegedly done to our Massachusetts community,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia Hyde said in a statement. “Children are the most precious and most vulnerable members of our communities, and we will do everything in our power to protect them from illegal sex offenders.”

On Dec. 18, 2020, Avila-Jara was arraigned in Lawrence District Court for more than 20 offenses including indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, rape of a child with force and aggravated statutory rape of a child, Hyde said.

Later that day, ICE Boston lodged an immigration detainer against Avila-Jara with Lawrence Police.

However, the Lawrence District Court refused to honor the ICE detainer and released Avila-Jara on bail on March 17, 2021, Hyde said.

Massachusetts Court officials do not have the authority to hold an individual in custody solely on the basis of a Federal Civil Immigration Detainer, Massachusetts Trial Courts spokesperson Jennifer Donahue said in a statement on Monday, when contacted about Avila-Jara’s release.

“In order to comply with Massachusetts law, court officers are prohibited from assisting or interfering with ICE agents in executing their obligations under Federal law,” Donahue said. “That means that a court officer will not interfere with ICE arresting an individual who has been released. On the other hand, court officers are prohibited from keeping a released individual in custody awaiting an ICE agent.”

On April 22, 2021, the Essex County Superior Court arraigned Avila-Jara for six counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, eight counts of rape of a child with force and eight counts of aggravated statutory rape of a child.

Avila-Jara illegally entered the United States near San Ysidro, California on Feb. 10, 1996, without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official, Hyde said.

Officers with the Immigration and Naturalization Service apprehended Avila-Jara on March 2, 1996 at the Los Angeles International Airport.

On March 11, 1996, a Justice Department immigration judge ordered Avila-Jara removed from the United States back to Ecuador.

Immigration and Naturalization Service removed Avila-Jara from the United States to Ecuador on July 2, 1996, Hyde said.

Avila-Jara then illegally reentered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location and without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official, Hyde said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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