An illegal Salvadoran immigrant arrested in the shooting death of a 2-year-old in Maryland has been released from prison twice, despite ICE requesting his deportation both times.
Nilson Trejo-Granados, 25, was arrested Monday and charged with first- and second-degree murder in the Feb. 8 shooting death of Jeremy Pou Caceres, a 17-year-old who was walking with his mother. was charged with a crime. According to police, the boy was caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between two groups during a drug dispute.
Trejo-Granados was not charged with firing the gun that killed Caceres, but was allegedly in a car with a group involved in the shootout, according to charges reviewed by The Washington Post. There is.
Trejo-Granados had been arrested twice before the incident, and was released both times despite ICE requesting that he be detained for deportation because he was in the country illegally.
Jeremy Pou Caceres, 2, was walking with his 17-year-old mother when he was caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between two groups during a reported drug conflict. (Handouts for families)
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Trejo-Granados was arrested by the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) on March 21 on suspicion of theft, and the next day ICE issued her an immigration official to the Montgomery County Detention Center (MCDC), an ICE spokesperson told Fox News Digital. told.
He was arrested again by MCPD on September 26 and charged with theft under $100 and obstruction of business. The next day, ICE again ordered (MCDC) to hold him in immigration detention, but ICE said it “refuses detainer honor and released Trejo-Granados from custody on October 12, 2023.” a spokesperson said.
MCDC said in a press conference that Trejo Granados was released from custody in March on a lesser charge of theft of property valued between $100 and $1,500. Police said they are still investigating why the suspect was released in September and not held in ICE custody until the suspect is transferred to ICE and deportation proceedings begin. asked local police to keep the suspect in custody.
Montgomery County says on its website that it is not a “sanctuary” jurisdiction and that local police and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation work with ICE on immigration violations.
Nilson Trejo-Granados, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, was arrested on suspicion of murdering a 2-year-old child. (Prince George’s County Police Department)
However, the website also states that police may not inquire about anyone’s immigration status, and the county will not conduct immigration enforcement or investigations.
“We believe this is the right balance for this country,” the website states. Fox 5 first reported on the detainees in the case.
Illegal Salvadoran immigrant arrested in connection with murder of 2-year-old Maryland boy
Baltimore Field Office Director Darius Reeves told Fox News Digital this week that ICE issued 198 detainers in the county in fiscal year 2023, none of which were honored. So far in fiscal year 2024, authorities have disposed of 119 detainees, but none have been honored by the county.
But the county disputed that figure Thursday, citing last week’s drunk driving incident and saying it has been awarding detainees.
Trejo-Granados became the fifth suspect arrested in Jeremy’s murder.
Jeremy Pou Caceres was killed in a shooting on February 8th. (GoFundMe)
A 15-year-old male from Takoma Park and a 16-year-old male from Hyattsville were also arrested, both of whom are being charged as adults, as well as 33-year-old Israel Fuentes Jr. and a 28-year-old male from Lewisdale. Johnny Alejandro Turcios of Lewisdale is also charged.
Preliminary investigation revealed that two groups exchanged gunfire near where Caceres and his mother were walking.
The boy was fatally shot and his mother Rosa Caceres was also shot, but she survived.
Rosa Caceres’ son Jeremy Poo Caceres passed away earlier this month. (Fox 5)
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His heartbroken mother told Fox 5 that he was loved by his family and that his aunts often helped care for him.
“It’s not easy not only for me but for my family,” Rosa said.
“It was hard for me because he was the person I was clinging to to keep my life going, and now I don’t have him.”
FOX News’ Adam Shaw and Stephanie Price contributed to this report.
