As part of President Trump’s Operation Take Back America, a team of federal agents arrested an accused child sex offender. The Ecuadorian national, illegally present in the United States, was charged with more than 20 counts of sex crimes against a minor before being released back onto the streets by a Lawrence Massachusetts District Court.
Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with federal partners from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, arrested 64-year-old Gilberto Avila-Jara in Lawrence in early April. According to ICE, Avila entered the United States illegally near San Ysidro, California, in February of 1996.
ICE Boston has arrested an illegal Ecuadoran national charged with more than 20 sex crimes against a MINOR.
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) April 11, 2025
Does Boston’s Mayor Michelle Wu think these pedophiles are above the law? Imagine what our ICE officers could do without Sanctuary City policies that protect illegal… pic.twitter.com/eHtOIWqgMz
In March of that year, Avila-Jara was arrested by immigration authorities at the Los Angeles International Airport and, within weeks, was ordered deported to Ecuador by a U.S. Department of Justice Immigration Judge. Avila-Jara was removed from the United States in July of 1996 but re-entered the United States at an unknown time and place sometime afterward.
The Lawrence District Court in Massachusetts arraigned Avila-Jara on Dec. 18, 2020, charging him with more than 20 criminal offenses, including indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, rape of a child with force, and aggravated statutory rape of a child. Later that day, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents lodged an immigration detainer against Avila-Jara with the Lawrence Police Department, requesting notification before his release.
According to ICE, the Lawrence District Court judge refused to honor the detainer despite filing a detainer requesting Avila-Jara be held and turned over to ICE in the event of his release. Avila-Jara was released on bail in March 2021 and was free to roam the streets.
On April 22, 2021, the Essex County Superior Court arraigned Avila-Jara for 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.
Avila-Jara remained at large until his arrest on April 1, 2025. Avila-Jara remains in federal custody, according to authorities.
Speaking about the arrest of Avila-Jara, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde emphasized the dangers posed to the local community, saying, “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.”
Cities and states failing to honor ICE detainer requests may soon face consequences, according to recent statements made by President Trump. As reported by Breitbart Texas, Trump issued a stern warning in an early morning Truth Social post that read, “No more Sanctuary Cities! They protect the Criminals, not the Victims.”
According to Trump, he is now working on a plan to remove federal funding for sanctuary cities and states. The president commented further on the matter regarding sanctuary jurisdictions, saying, “They are disgracing our Country and are being mocked all over the World. Working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows these Death Traps to exist!!!”
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Before his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
