A Honduran illegal alien accused of a violent assault and rape in New York was taken into custody in Fort Bend County while allegedly attempting to escape to Mexico, federal authorities said.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said that it had placed an immigration detainer on Jose Ignacio Bonilla-Garcia, 32, at the Fort Bend County Jail last week.
Federal authorities allege that Bonilla-Garcia beat a man unconscious in New York, dragged him behind a dumpster, and raped him while he was incapacitated.
Bonilla-Garcia was arrested on April 4 near Richmond, Texas, by the U.S. Marshals Service’s Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from ICE and other agencies.
“This is one of the most egregious criminal offenses that I’ve come across in my entire career and another example of why it’s vital for law enforcement at all levels to work together in the interest of public safety,” said Gabriel Martinez, acting field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston. “Following the alleged assault, Bonilla-Garcia traveled to Texas in a suspected attempt to flee to Mexico to evade prosecution for his alleged crimes.
“With a limited amount of time to work with, and a lot of ground to cover, the law enforcement community quickly came together to help track down this dangerous fugitive, and he was safely taken into custody by the U.S Marshals Service’s Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force before he could leave the country. Without teamwork and collaboration between law enforcement at all levels, the outcome would have likely been very different,” Martinez added.
ICE said Bonilla-Garcia has illegally entered the United States at least four times and was expelled three times in 2020 under Title 42. The agency did not specify when or where he reentered the country a fourth time.
