During a police sting operation in Indiana, four out of eleven individuals arrested for alleged sex offenses are reported to be undocumented immigrants from different countries, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The suspects believed they were in contact with underage girls online and drove to meet them, expecting sexual encounters. Instead, they were confronted by undercover officers.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has filed detainer requests for these four individuals.
Identified as El Hadji Babacar Ndiaye from Senegal, Lucky Philip Udoudo from Nigeria, Filomeno Ricardo Flores Marin from Mexico, and David Josue Gomez-Posada from El Salvador, the suspects have various immigration backgrounds. Ndiaye was previously released at the southern border in September 2023, while Udoudo entered the U.S. at an unknown location. Flores Marin entered illegally in 2002, and Gomez-Posada came to the U.S. as a minor in 2017.
A spokesperson for the DHS emphasized the importance of Indiana honoring immigration detainers, stating, “All of their claims will be heard by an immigration judge, and they will receive due process. This administration will not ignore the rule of law.”
Flores Marin faces multiple charges, including several sex offenses related to minors and has a history of issues, including a prior arrest for stolen property. He was previously apprehended by ICE in January 2019 but released on bond in March of the same year.
Udoudo is charged with soliciting a child, while both Gomez-Posada and Ndiaye face similar charges related to child solicitation.
The DHS spokesperson remarked that under previous leadership, illegal immigrants who broke the law faced consequences, reiterating that such individuals are not welcome in the U.S. Moreover, the agency highlighted that partnerships with local law enforcement are essential in addressing crime and arresting undocumented immigrants.
In support of their operations, the DHS noted significant arrests in Florida and West Virginia, where a recent operation resulted in hundreds of illegal immigrant arrests.
