ERO Boston arrests Brazilian national facing felony charges of rape, extortion

BOSTON - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston arrested a Brazilian national Dec. 10 wanted on felony charges of rape and extortion with threat of injury.

This was the second time ERO arrested Agnaldo Moreira da Cruz, 29, after two separate incidents where the Barnstable County Correctional Facility and subsequently the Barnstable Superior Court released him from custody, not honoring an ICE detainer and the conditions of a Writ of Habeas Corpus between ERO and Massachusetts.

"Moreira Da Cruz has been accused of very serious violent felonies, including rape and extortion with threat of injury. This is not someone you want to release into the community, but twice now our detainers have been ignored. Most recently, the Barnstable Superior Court ignored their own court order requiring that he be returned to our custody. These decisions have repeatedly put the citizens of Massachusetts at risk of being victimized by an alleged dangerous offender."

The Yarmouth Police initially arrested Moreira da Cruz Aug. 25, 2023, and charged him with the offenses of rape and extortion by threat of injury in Barnstable District Court. Boston ERO placed a detainer on Moreira da Cruz on that date.

The Barnstable Superior Court indicted Moreira da Cruz on felony charges, Nov. 8, 2023, and arraigned him Dec. 7, 2023. He was held at the Barnstable County Correctional Facility until an ICE detainer was ignored and he was released from criminal custody on June 18. ERO located and arrested Moreira da Cruz October 16 and, after receiving a Habeas Corpus request, turned him over to the Barnstable Superior Court on Nov. 27 with a detainer.

The Barnstable County Correctional Facility held Moreira da Cruz without bail until Dec. 5, when the Barnstable Superior court released him from criminal custody pending his criminal charges and did not honor the ICE detainer or the conditions of the Habeas Corpus.

Moreira da Cruz remains in ICE custody pending immigration and criminal proceedings. ERO removes noncitizens who have no lawful basis to remain in the U.S., including those who are subject to final removal orders from Department of Justice immigration judges working with the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

ERO is one of ICE's three operational directorates and the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO's mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency's detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO's workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

The public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form. Learn more about ICE's mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBoston.