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Three of nine men arrested in a major Virginia child exploitation sting are illegal aliens with lengthy criminal histories, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to Fox News. The three men have since been released on bond.
The suspects allegedly traveled to Fairfax County to meet with minors for sexual encounters after engaging in sexually explicit conversations online with undercover detectives posing as juveniles, police said Wednesday.
The three illegal aliens were identified as Reyben Leono Sanchez Hernandez, 21, of El Salvador; Wilmer Alexander Aguilar Cruz, 28, of El Salvador; and Henry Adalberto Flores Herrera, 39, DHS told Fox News.
DHS said the three men were previously caught illegally entering the U.S. before being released under the Obama administration. DHS blamed the administration’s immigration policies and Fairfax County’s “sanctuary” policies for what it described as an influx of criminal illegal aliens.
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According to DHS, Sanchez Hernandez’s criminal history includes solicitation of prostitution from a minor. Fairfax County police also said he was charged with driving on a suspended license.
Sanchez Hernandez was caught illegally entering the U.S. near the Rio Grande Valley on Sept. 25, 2013, officials said. He was released into the country about a month later.
ICE placed a detainer on Sanchez Hernandez with the Fairfax County Detention Center on July 29, officials said. However, police said he has since been released on a $3,000 secured bond.
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Aguilar Cruz was caught by Border Patrol near Hidalgo, Texas, in late 2012 before being released into the country under the Obama administration about two weeks later, according to DHS.
His criminal history includes allegations involving computer solicitation of a child, indecent liberties, proposed sex acts, sodomy, extortion and threats to burn, DHS said.
On April 27, 2019, police in Prince William County, Virginia, arrested Aguilar Cruz on charges of threatening to bomb or burn and making a threat in writing. ICE arrested him two days later, and he was released on bond on Aug. 9, 2019, according to DHS.
ICE placed a detainer on Aguilar Cruz with the Fairfax County Detention Center on July 31, officials said. However, local police said he has since been released on a $3,000 secured bond.
Flores Herrera’s criminal history includes felony solicitation of prostitution from a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, driving under the influence of liquor and a traffic offense, according to DHS.
ICE placed a detainer on Flores Herrera with the Fairfax County Detention Center on July 17, officials said. He has since been released on a $5,000 secured bond.
DHS did not disclose how Flores Herrera entered the country.
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A DHS spokesperson blamed former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as former Vice President Kamala Harris, for policies the department said paved the way for millions of unvetted illegal aliens to enter the U.S.
“These criminal illegal aliens were hand-delivered to Fairfax County communities by President Obama, who, like Sleepy Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, unleashed millions of unvetted illegal aliens into American communities and abused the law to do so,” the spokesperson said.
“President Trump and Secretary Mullin are now enforcing the law, arresting illegal aliens who have no right to be in our country—and have reversed Democrats’ deadly catch and release policy.”
The department also urged Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger to increase cooperation with ICE to turn over detained immigrants.
“Under Governor Spanberger, Virginia has become a hotbed of illegal alien crime. During her first days in office, Governor Spanberger signed executive orders banning state cooperation with ICE as well as terminating 287(g) state and local agreements,” the department said. “We are urging Governor Spanberger to put her community first and turn over this criminal illegal alien to ICE.”
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