Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Sunday that a Venezuelan national charged in connection with the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, 22, entered the United States illegally in 2022 and was previously arrested in New York City. I admitted that.
Fox News previously reported that 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ybarra, who was charged with the murder of Riley on the University of Georgia campus, illegally entered the United States near El Paso in September 2022 and was released on parole before entering the United States. It was reported that it did.
ICE said in a statement to FOX News Digital that he was encountered by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) after entering near El Paso on September 8, 2022, and was “released on parole for further processing.” Admitted.
ICE also confirmed that Ybarra was arrested by the New York City Police Department a year later, on September 14, 2023, and “charged with conduct with injury to a child under 17 years of age and motor vehicle license violation.” .
Georgia student suspected of murder turns out to be illegal immigrant
Jose Ybarra was originally taken into custody by UGA police on Friday in connection with Laken Riley’s death, but is now believed to have no connection to the victim. (Clark County Sheriff’s Office)
ICE typically files a detention motion when it learns that a person it believes to be a removable illegal immigrant has been arrested on criminal charges. It asks local police to keep suspects in custody until they can be transferred to ICE and placed in detention centers. Deportation procedures.
Uga murder suspect’s brother charged with green card fraud
Laken Riley poses for a photo to post on Facebook. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Thursday, February 22, 2024. (Alison Phillips/Facebook)
But in this case, ICE said in a statement that Ybarra was released before he was sentenced to detention. New York City is also a “sanctuary city,” which generally restricts law enforcement from following ICE detainees.
ICE said in a statement that its Enforcement and Elimination Services office in Atlanta “encountered Mr. Ybarra, who is facing murder and other charges in response to his arrest by the University of Georgia Police Department. ERO Atlanta filed for custody.” said.
Laken Riley case: Georgia authorities identify murder suspect in custody for killing of nursing student
Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University who attended UGA before enrolling in the nursing program at Augusta University’s Athens campus, was found dead Thursday and placed on the dean’s list.
Police charged Ybarra with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, interfering with a 911 call and concealing the death of another, authorities announced Friday.
Ybarra appeared in court Saturday morning, where Clark County Magistrate Judge Donarelle Greene denied bail “for today.” There were two interpreters. Ibarra nodded when addressed.
Ibarra’s brother Diego was charged Friday with possession of a fraudulent green card and is in state custody. Diego Ybarra’s federal arrest affidavit states that in September 2023, Athens-Clarke County police charged him with driving under the influence and driving without a license. He was later arrested for shoplifting and subsequently missed court.
Fox News’ Michael Ruiz, Bill Melugin and Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.
