U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies in Newark arrested four child predators, including one in Hoboken and one in West New York, making a total of eight arrests since July 21 in a sting targeting “illegal aliens with histories of child exploitation.”
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
ICE Homeland Security Investigations, with support from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark arrested Daniel Garcia Cruz, a 35-year-old Mexican national, on August 3rd in Hoboken, authorities said.
Garcia was sentenced to three years of probation after being convicted for criminal sexual contact March 24th, 2023, in Hudson County Superior Court.
Manuel Gregorio Loja Loja and Leonidas Rivera Gonzalez were arrested by ICE HSI and ERO Newark on July 24th.
Loja, 36, an Ecuadorian national, was sentenced to a three-year term of probation approximately June 24, 2024, in Essex County Superior Court for false imprisonment and cruelty and neglect of children.
Rivera, 40, a Salvadorian national, was sentenced to parole supervision for life after being found guilty of endangering-sexual conduct with child by a non-caretaker approximately July 14, 2023, in Hudson County Superior Court.
Finally, Jeferson Isaac Flores Pineda, a 19-year-old Honduran national, was arrested by ICE HSI and ERO Newark July 31 in West New York.
Flores was arrested by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for the offense of aggravated sexual assault and false imprisonment on June 6th, 2022. On December 1st, 2023, the Juvenile Court of Hudson County convicted him of false imprisonment.
Garcia, Loja and Rivera entered the United States at an unknown date through an unknown location without inspection or parole from an immigration officer.
Flores was encountered by the U.S. Border Patrol April 14th, 2019, in Hidalgo, Texas, was determined to be present illegally but later, in June 2022, an immigration judge in Newark terminated his immigration case.
Four other illegally present child predators were arrested prior to July 21 and announced in a July 28 press release on ICE.gov.
Gerson Jose Saenz Umana, a 27-year-old Salvadorian national and registered sex offender with a sealed criminal history that involves the exploitation of a child.
Javier Garcia Nicolasa, a 42-year-old Mexican national who was convicted on Dec. 1, 2023, of endangering sexual conduct with a child by caretaker and sentenced to three years in prison.
Juan Villatoro Valle, a 45-year-old Salvadorian national who was convicted on Aug. 2, 2019, of sexual assault involving a victim under the age of 13, aggravated criminal sexual assault, and endangering with sexual conduct. He was sentenced to five years in prison.
Reyes Peralta-Salazar, 38, a Mexican national who was arrested on September 14th, 2023, for criminal sexual conduct and endangering – sexual conduct with child. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail.
All individuals were required to register as sex offenders in the state of New Jersey and are being held in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
ICE agencies in Newark worked with the Department of Homeland Security Cyber Crimes Center Child Exploitation Investigations Unit to proactively target convicted criminal alien sex offenders currently residing within the U.S.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.