News Releases

ERO arrests fugitive wanted in Massachusetts

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Dominican Republic national, wanted in Massachusetts for assault with intent to murder and drug trafficking, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations' (ERO) officers Friday in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

Upon learning and confirming that Yael Sanchez-Correa was residing in Puerto Rico, an ERO Fugitive Operations team began a thorough search for the fugitive that led them to the residence of some of his relatives in the local area who persuaded Sanchez-Correa to make the correct decision to surrender to law enforcement authorities. He was arrested immediately after he surrendered to ERO officers in Guaynabo.

"The arrest of this Massachusetts fugitive by ERO officers in Puerto Rico should send a loud and clear message to those criminals who try to evade justice by fleeing a particular jurisdiction that ERO and its Department of Homeland Security partners will go after them," said Marc Moore, field office director of ERO Miami. "ERO will continue working with our local, state and federal partners in an effort to protect our communities from those who pose a threat to our public safety and security."

Sanchez-Correa was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and transferred to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting the outcome of his case and possible extradition to Massachusetts.

The removal of criminal aliens from the United States is a national priority. To address this priority, ICE designed the National Fugitive Operations Program (NFOP) within the ERO directorate.

The primary mission of NFOP is to reduce the fugitive alien population in the United States. NFOP identifies, locates and arrests fugitive aliens, aliens that have been previously removed from the United States, removable aliens who have been convicted of crimes, as well as aliens who enter the United States illegally or otherwise defy the integrity of our immigration laws and border control efforts.

ICE encourages the public to report criminal activity and related information by calling at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. For more information, visit www.ice.gov.