U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the arrest of Arnoldo Antonio Prieto-Lopez, a 51-year-old Salvadoran national with a lengthy criminal record, on October 20. The arrest was carried out by Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia following Prieto-Lopez’s release from federal prison.
Prieto-Lopez previously held lawful permanent resident status in the United States but is now subject to removal under federal law due to his criminal convictions. His offenses include attempted robbery, child cruelty, failure to provide for a minor, attempted money laundering, and possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
“This foreign-born criminal alien has repeatedly abused children, victimized communities and exploited his immigration status,” said ERO Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Michael T. Rose. “He’s convicted of child cruelty and neglect, and trafficking fentanyl. He has endangered families and exhibited a pattern of criminal conduct over decades. Our officers will not allow criminals to hide behind immigration status. We will arrest, detain and remove those who threaten public safety.”
Prieto-Lopez was encountered by ERO Philadelphia at the Federal Correctional Institution Allenwood Low in White Deer, Pennsylvania on July 30, 2024. An immigration detainer and warrant were issued at that time. Local law enforcement honored the detainer, allowing ICE officers to take custody of Prieto-Lopez during a secure transfer.
His criminal history includes convictions across several states: attempted robbery in Los Angeles County in 1988; willful cruelty to a child in Riverside County in 1998; failure to provide for a minor in San Bernardino County in 1999; attempted money laundering in Maricopa County, Arizona in 2014; and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl in New Jersey federal court in December 2023.
Prieto-Lopez remains detained by ICE while immigration proceedings continue.
According to ICE, immigration detainers help focus enforcement efforts on individuals arrested for criminal activity who are removable under U.S. law. These detainers enable ICE to take custody of such individuals within controlled environments rather than seeking them after release into the community.
The Department of Homeland Security prioritizes enforcement against serious offenders such as murderers, rapists, gang members, terrorists, and others considered dangerous. ICE reports that nationally about 70% of illegal aliens arrested have criminal convictions or pending charges.
