Illegal Ecuadorian Released by Court Now Arrested for 20 Child Sex Crimes

In yet another disturbing example of sanctuary policies putting Americans 
at risk, Immigration Customs and Enforcement in Boston arrested an illegal 
Ecuadoran immigrant this week who is now facing over 20 sex crime charges 
involving a Massachusetts minor. Despite a clear ICE detainer request, the 
local jurisdiction chose to ignore it—releasing the suspect back into the 
community instead of handing him over to federal authorities.

Sixty-four-year-old Gilberto Avila-Jara was arrested by ICE and federal 
partners from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for committing more than 
20 charges of child sexual assault and rape. He illegally entered the 
United States on February 10, 1996, in California and was caught by 
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) officials in March of that 
year. He was ordered by an immigration judge to be sent back to Ecuador 
but illegally re-entered the U.S. at an unknown location and on an unknown 
date. 

“There are no appropriate words to describe the amount of damage Gilberto 
Avila-Jara has allegedly done to our Massachusetts community,” ICE 
Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director 
Patricia Hyde said. “Children are the most precious and most vulnerable 
members of our communities, and we will do everything in our power to 
protect them from illegal sex offenders. ICE Boston remains committed to 
prioritizing public safety by arresting and removing alien sexual 
predators from New England.”

Secretary Kristi Noem

@Sec_Noem
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ICE Boston has arrested an illegal Ecuadoran national charged with more 
than 20 sex crimes against a MINOR.
 
Does Boston’s Mayor Michelle Wu think these pedophiles are above the law? 
Imagine what our ICE officers could do without Sanctuary City policies 
that protect illegal Show more

In December 2020, the Lawrence District Court arraigned Avila-Jara on more 
than 20 charges, including indecent assault and battery on a child under 
14, rape of a child with force, and aggravated statutory rape of a minor. 
ICE filed an immigration detainer with the Lawrence Police Department; 
however, the court refused to honor the request and released Avila-Jara on 
bail on March 17, 2021. 

According to authorities, the illegal immigrant remained at large until 
his arrest on April 1, 2025. 

President Donald Trump issued a strong warning to sanctuary states that 
ignore ICE detainer requests, threatening to take away their federal 
funding. 

“They are disgracing our Country and are being mocked all over the World. 
Working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State 
that allows these Death Traps to exist!!!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social 
post. “No more Sanctuary Cities!” he wrote. “They protect the Criminals, 
not the Victims.”

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/saraharnold/2025/04/14/ecuadorian-illegal-
alien-arrested-for-20-child-sex-crimes-despite-being-previously-released-
by-court-n2655500