Fugitive Child Rapist Was Admitted Into US on Tourist Visa

A Brazilian man wanted and convicted for the rape of a child was able to obtain a tourist visa to enter the U.S., Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Thursday.

ICE nabbed the 62-year-old fugitive in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, the agency said in a news release. He had fled Brazil after his conviction and entered the U.S. via New York in April.

Brazilian authorities issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to show up to serve his 12-year sentence in May, according to ICE.

“There is no more repulsive and disturbing crime than the sexual assault of a child. We are proud to have apprehended this convicted rapist and will seek to remove him from the United States so that he cannot prey on the members of our community,” ICE official Todd Lyons said in a statement.

“Convicted foreign fugitives are not welcome here. [Enforcement and Removal Operations] Boston will not relent in our efforts to locate, apprehend and remove them from our country,” Lyons said.

#Fugitives @EROBoston arrests fugitive wanted for child rape conviction in Brazil. Read more: https://t.co/Qfbb8byQ9B pic.twitter.com/OF1DOpx58g

— ERO Boston (@EROBoston) November 30, 2023

The unnamed Brazilian national remains in ICE custody pending his removal proceedings.

Applicants seeking visas to enter the U.S. are typically required to undergo an interview with an embassy or consulate official, according to the State Department. Criminal activity may disqualify an applicant from obtaining a visa.

ICE arrested more than 46,000 non-citizens with criminal backgrounds in fiscal year 2022, including more than 8,000 sex offenders, according to the agency.