Thread: Deported gang member arrested in Greeley

Deported gang member arrested in Greeley
By Howard Pankratz
The Denver Post

Article Last Updated: 02/07/2008 11:55:34 AM MST


A member of the violent Sureno 13 street gang was arrested in Greeley by a gang task force as he smoked marijuana while baby-sitting his three-year-old child, law enforcement officials say.

The man was identified as Renato Rodarte-Bueno, 33, of Mexico.

The arrested occurred about 9 p.m. Saturday in a Greeley apartment.

Carl Rusnok, spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said that ICE agents originally targeted Rodarte-Bueno for arrest after they discovered he had returned to the Greeley area after his deportation in 1997.

Rusnok, who identified Rodarte-Bueno as an active member of the Sureno gang, had felony convictions for robbery and theft in Santa Barbara County, Calif., Superior Court in 1993 and 1994 and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Before his convictions and deportation, Rodarte-Bueno was a permanent U.S. resident.

At the beginning of the month, agents of the Greeley Gang Task Force learned that Rodarte-Bueno was planning to return to the Greeley area on the El Paso-Los Angeles Limousine Bus Line after an extended trip to Los Angeles.

The arrest was part of Operation Community Shield, a nationwide ICE anti-gang initiative whose goal is to disrupt, dismantle and assist in the criminal prosecution of what ICE describes as "violent transnational street gangs."

Initially, ICE's anti-gang efforts were directed at the "Mara Salvatrucha" organization, commonly referred to as MS-13. NMS-13 is described by federal officials as one of the most violent and rapidly growing transnational gangs.

In May 2005, the anti-gang mandate was expanded to include all transnational street and prison gangs, said Rusnok.

"Since inception, ICE agents across 100 field offices, working in conjunction with hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies nationwide, have arrested a total of 7,174 street gang members and associates, representing over 736 different gangs," Rusnok said in a release.

The arrest of Rodarte-Bueno, who is accused of child abuse-neglect and possessing marijuana, was hailed by both state and federal agents.

"Gang members represent a significant threat to public safety throughout the United States," said Jeffrey Copp, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Denver. "ICE closely partners with local law enforcement agencies to especially target transnational gang members and ultimately deport them to their countries of origin."

Jerry Garner, chief of the Greeley Police Department, said that cooperation between law enforcement agencies leads to "good arrests.

"I think that happened in this case and we much appreciate the help from ICE," said Garner.

Rusnok said that it is a felony, punishable by a prison term up to 20 years, to re-enter the United States after being formally deported. He said the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver has agreed to prosecute Rodarte-Bueno for his re-entry into the United States.

Officials said that of the 7,174 street gang arrests, 116 involved the apprehension of gang leaders. More than 2,663 of the arrested suspects had violent criminal histories and ICE also seized 310 firearms.

Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_8196977

Rusnok said that it is a felony, punishable by a prison term up to 20 years, to re-enter the United States after being formally deported. He said the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver has agreed to prosecute Rodarte-Bueno for his re-entry into the United States.

I have often said that it does little good to deport these people when they can simply walk across our southern border within hours of being deported back to mexico.

We should prosecute EVERY case of those charged with re-entry after being formally deported. However, i'm quite certain that only a small percentage of such cases are ever prosecuted by the US Attorney.

Essentially, our border is nothing more than a revolving door.

I cant blame him..he must have seen mccain winning and thought oh 2009 is the year of mcamnesty for illegal immigrants.

Carl Rusnok, spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said that ICE agents originally targeted Rodarte-Bueno for arrest after they discovered he had returned to the Greeley area after his deportation in 1997.

I guess it took ICE at least 3yr.9mo to find out he was back since he was baby-sitting his 3-year-old son.

Unfortunately this is just another sad situation dealing with our flawed legal system as he was once a permanment resident. Just because someone is born here doesn't make them worth staying here when they become murders and child molesters. Maybe we should deport natural born citizens who are cooking meth in the house next door to you and selling it to the kids in your neighborhood instead of worrying about an ex-con, ex-gang member who is here working and taking care of his children. And the story was incorrect - the child's mother was also there at the time so he was not "babysitting". How long did it take for INS and "ICE" to catch up with him - he wasn't hiding! I see this as a failed attempt on the part of our country to control illegal immigration! And sadly as American people we believe everything the media gives out to us, remember this is common place for media and our government to be one sided. So don't believe everything you read.

Why would we deport citizen lawbreakers? When they're caught, they should go to jail. When those other than citizens are caught, they should be deported to their birth country.

Well then if you want to keep the worst of the worst here - the child molesters and murders - go right ahead.. I personally don't think it's such a great idea to pay for child molesters and murders to stay in prison, then get out and help them pay for and find housing and living expenses so they can go right back to comitting crimes again - I don't think just being born here should give you rights when you habitually comitt violent and horrible crimes. We have a man (An American born citizen) in our community right now who was convicted of molesting 14 children and the state and feds are actually paying for his housing and HELPING him find a place to live right back in the community where he committed crimes. Sounds realistic to me!! I agree that immigration needs some form of control or standard, but it may never - the way the Mexican people are forced to live in their country is horrible in many many instances and America promises such great futures for them and for their children - just as it did for our ancestors and for all of the other immigrants from other countries. They would be stupid to not what better for their families. And yes there is a lot of abuse of our social welfare systems but I must make it clear the Mexican people are not the only ones taking advantage - other immigrants are too - and many citizens too. Attacking one person when the problem is so much greater than that is ignorant.