I.C.E. News Releases

ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL

11/21/2019


Utah ICE officers deport man wanted for homicide in Honduras






SALT LAKE CITY — A Honduran man wanted for homicide in his home country was removed (deported) Wednesday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Rony De La Cruz Hernandez-Escoto, 52, a citizen of Honduras, was arrested by ICE officers October 17 at the Tooele County (Utah) Jail after his latest felony conviction for illegally reentering the United States.

“We actively work to remove dangerous criminal aliens, such as Hernandez-Escoto,” said Robert Culley, field office director for ERO Utah. “ICE prioritizes the removal criminal aliens such as Hernandez-Escoto from the United States so they can face justice in their home country. At the same time, these removals of criminal aliens help improve safety in our local communities.”

Hernandez-Escoto unlawfully entered the United States multiple times over the last 12 years and was deported to Honduras each time. He has an extensive criminal history across multiple states for distributing drugs.

Hernandez-Escoto was flown on an ICE Air Operations charter flight Nov. 13, to Toncontín International Airport, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Upon arrival in Honduras, the fugitive was handed to the local authorities for arrest.

ICE removed or returned 256,085 aliens in fiscal year 2018. Enforcement and removal operations arrested 158,581 aliens, 90 percent of whom had criminal convictions, pending criminal charges, or previously issued final orders. The overall arrest figure represents an 11 percent increase over fiscal year 2017.

ICE is focused on removing public safety threats, such as convicted criminal aliens and gang members, as well as individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws, including those who illegally re-entered the country after being removed and immigration fugitives ordered removed by federal immigration judges.

Last Reviewed/Updated: 11/21/2019