Thread: Guatemalan man charged in brother's death arrested by ICE | Crisantos Pop-Chub

Guatemalan man charged in brother's death arrested by ICE in Hyattsville, Maryland

https://wjla.com/news/local/ice-us-i...etectives-pgpd

---

by Katie Bourque
Tue, April 15, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Updated Tue, April 15, 2025 at 11:14 PM





3VIEW ALL PHOTOS


Detectives from the Prince George's County Homicide Unit have charged a man in connection with the death of his older brother. (Prince George's Police Department)

• GUATEMALAN
• ICE
• MURDER
• BROTHER
• ARREST
• PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY
• IMMIGRATION
• CUSTODY

WASHINGTON (7News) — A Guatemalan man was arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after he was charged in connection with the death of his brother in Prince George's County, Maryland.

On Aug. 16, Prince George's County Police Department (PGPD) officials arrived at the 500 block of Shady Glen Drive at 11:30 p.m. to investigate reports of a physical fight.

According to a preliminary investigation, 32-year-old Rene Pop-Chub pushed his brother, 45-year-old Crisantos Pop-Chub, to the ground during an argument. Cristantos hit his head during the fall and died.
Pop-Chub was charged with murder, second-degree assault, and reckless endangerment, officials said.

After two U.S. Border Patrol arrests in Falfurrias, Texas, in 2013 and Cowlic, Arizona, in 2017, Pop-Chub reentered the United States for a third time on an unknown date, according to ICE officials.

PGPD officials arrested Pop-Chub following the fight on Aug. 19, 2024.

ICE Baltimore lodged an immigration detainer with the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections (PGCDC) on Oct. 9, 2024, officials said. The agency added that PGCDC declined to honor ICE’s immigration detainer and released Pop-Chub from custody on April 8.

According to court documents, Pop-Chub's next court date was scheduled for April 16 to decide whether or not he would be detained before a bail hearing.

ICE Baltimore arrested Pop-Chub in Hyattsville, April 12, and issued him a notice of intent to reinstate a prior order of removal. Pop-Chub has been transferred to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Acting County Executive Tara H. Jackson released the following statement:
"We want to be clear: we called ICE upon Mr. Pop-Chub's release because he had a prior conviction for involuntary manslaughter. Contrary to any suggestion that ICE was denied access — an ICE agent was on-site the day of Mr. Pop-Chub’s release and did communicate with PGCDOC staff.

"Specifically:

• The ICE agent spoke directly with PGCDOC Release Team.
• The release Team advised ICE that agents are allowed to enter the reception area (lobby) of the facility.
• The ICE agent was advised that he could retrieve Mr. Pop-Chub from the PGCDOC Reception area upon his release, as ICE agents have done in the past.
• The ICE agent left prior to Mr. Pop-Chub release.

"Prince George’s County remains committed to working with our federal partners within the bounds of the law and in a manner that protects the constitutional rights of all individuals in our custody."

In November 2019, Prince George’s County Council voted unanimously to bar all county agencies from working with ICE unless individuals in question were faced with criminal warrants.

In July of the same year, Prince George's County Department of Police officially codified its policy of only working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if an individual is wanted on a criminal immigration warrant or in connection with certain suspected crimes, and not for any civil removal proceedings.

This decision came after then-Police Chief Hank Stawinski told The Washington Post that officers were alerting federal agencies about an individual's immigration status after they were stopped for non-criminal matters. One example the Post cites was an undocumented woman who was placed in deportation proceedings after she was rear-ended in Hyattsville in 2019.

The White House Office of Communications released the following statement on the case:

"So-called “sanctuary” jurisdictions endanger the lives of the Americans who live there.

"The latest example comes in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where an illegal immigrant was arrested, charged with murder and assault, then released back onto the streets despite an ICE immigration detainer request — a result of the county’s insane “sanctuary” policies.

"Fortunately, ICE eventually arrested the illegal immigrant and he’ll soon be on his way back to Guatemala.
"The negligence of leftist politicians is putting lives at risk.

• In 2019, then-Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks — now a U.S. Senator — bragged about “not participating in immigration enforcement” and claimed in 2024 that immigration enforcement “should not be the responsibility of local governments.”
  
  
• In 2019, then-Prince George’s County Council Member Deni Taveras — now a member of the Maryland House of Delegates — said “there is an incredible amount of fear” about immigration enforcement.
  
  
• Acting Prince George’s County Executive Tara Jackson said: “The Prince George’s County Police Department does not engage in federal immigration enforcement actions Our focus is on ensuring public safety and building trust with all members of our community, regardless of their immigration status.”
  
  
• Maryland State Del. Nicole Williams (D-Prince George’s) introduced a bill to ban local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with ICE: “People would not feel safe in terms of reporting actual crime that is taking place within their communities.”
  
  
• Maryland State Sen. Alonzo Washington (D-Prince George’s) said local law enforcement should not be enforcing immigration laws: “We’re going to build a better relationship with our immigrant community so we know exactly who they are and we can protect them.”"