U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), together with federal partners from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), apprehended an Ecuadoran national accused of committing multiple sex offenses against a minor in Massachusetts. The arrest occurred on April 1 in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Gilberto Avila-Jara, 64, has been charged with more than twenty counts of sex crimes. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde emphasized the severity of the allegations, stating, “There are no appropriate words to describe the amount of damage Gilberto Avila-Jara has allegedly done to our Massachusetts community. Children are the most precious and most vulnerable members of our communities, and we will do everything in our power to protect them from illegal sex offenders. ICE Boston remains committed to prioritizing public safety by arresting and removing alien sexual predators from New England.”
Avila's history in the United States dates back to his illegal entry near San Ysidro, California, on February 10, 1996. He was apprehended by officers of the Immigration and Naturalization Service at Los Angeles International Airport on March 2, 1996, and subsequently ordered to be removed from the U.S. to Ecuador on March 11, 1996. Avila was deported on July 2, 1996, but re-entered the country illegally at an unspecified time and place, once more without inspection or legal permission.
The legal proceedings against Avila have been ongoing, with his arraignment in the Lawrence District Court on December 18, 2020, for over twenty charges, including indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, rape of a child with force, and aggravated statutory rape of a child. ICE Boston filed an immigration detainer with the Lawrence Police Department on the same day, which the Lawrence District Court later disregarded, granting Avila bail on March 17, 2021.
Further legal action took place on April 22, 2021, when the Essex County Superior Court charged Avila with additional crimes, including six counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, eight counts of rape of a child with force, and eight counts of aggravated statutory rape of a child.
The public is encouraged to report crimes and suspicious activity by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE or completing an online tip form. ICE's mission to increase public safety can be further explored on their social media account.
