ICE Arrests Additional Child Sex Offenders in Newark

In Newark, New Jersey, four more individuals accused of child sexual offenses were arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) starting July 21, as part of an operation targeting “illegal aliens with a history of child exploitation.”

This brings the total number of arrests in this operation to eight.

Among those arrested is Juanbale, a 45-year-old from El Salvador, who had previously been sentenced to five years in prison for sexual assault against a child under 13 in 2019.

Another arrest was Reyes Peralta Salazar, 38, from Mexico, who was sentenced in 2023 for sexual conduct that posed risks to children.

Javier Garcia Nicolaza, 42, also a Mexican citizen, was taken into custody on July 21. He had been convicted in 2023 for engaging in sexual conduct with a minor and received a three-year prison sentence.

The authorities also apprehended Gerson Jose Saenz Umana, a 27-year-old from El Salvador, who has a record of child exploitation offenses.

On July 24, ICE arrested Manuel Gregorio Roja, 36, from Ecuador. He had previously received three years probation for false imprisonment and child neglect.

• Leonidas Riviera Gonzales, 40, from El Salvador, was detained on the same day. He was sentenced to life in prison for endangering a child through sexual activity.

• Jefferson Isaac Flores Pineda, a 19-year-old from Honduras, was arrested on July 31 for aggravated sexual assault and false imprisonment.

• Lastly, Daniel Garcia Cruz, 35, a Mexican national, was apprehended on August 3. He was on probation following a conviction for criminal sexual contact in 2023.

All those detained are now required to register as sex offenders in New Jersey and are currently held in ICE custody as they await removal proceedings.