WASHINGTON
One of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s most wanted fugitive, a sex offender, was arrested Friday in Aurora, Colorado, according to officials.
Federal agents received a tip about the whereabout of Jose Victor Bonilla-Melendez, aka Anthony Garcia-Melendez, 48, a citizen of Honduras.
The tip came from someone who saw a media post by Denver’s ABC affiliate, officials said.
Bonilla–Melendez was wanted by ICE for being as convicted sex offender in the country illegally. He was last seen in Aurora, officials said.
Bonilla-Melendez has a criminal history that includes felony convictions for assault causing serious bodily injury, sexual assault, and unlawful re-entry of a deported alien.
He has been removed from the U.S. on two prior occasions, most recently on April 5, 2006. On Dec. 7, 2014, the Aurora Police Department arrested him on local charges, but the subject posted bond before an ICE detainer could be placed. Despite numerous attempts by ICE to locate his whereabouts, he remained at-large.
On Dec. 7, 2014, the Aurora Police Department arrested him on local charges, but the subject posted bond before an ICE detainer could be placed. Despite numerous attempts by ICE to locate his whereabouts, he remained at-large, according to officials.
“Protecting public safety by identifying and removing dangerous criminal fugitives from our communities is the top priority of our fugitive operations teams,” said Jeffrey Lynch, field office director for ERO Denver. “A convicted felon and one of our most wanted fugitives, Bonilla-Melendez is a threat no more and is in custody awaiting removal from the United States. I commend the hard work and dedication of our officers.”
During Bonilla-Melendez’s arrest, ERO officers also encountered another individual who they arrested – Bonilla-Melendez’s brother, German Bonilla, who was convicted of sexual assault against a child and unlawful re-entry after deportation following conviction for an aggravated felony.
German has also been removed from the U.S. twice previously, according to officials.