North Carolina’s largest sanctuary county released a previously deported illegal alien accused of rape and child sex crimes, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency reveals.
Oscar Pacheco-Leonardo, a 33-year-old illegal alien from Honduras, was arrested almost two months ago by the Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office for first-degree rape and child sex crimes. After his arrest, ICE officials said they placed a detainer on Pacheco-Leonardo, requesting that he be turned over to the agency before being released from local custody.
Mecklenburg’s sanctuary county policy, however, ensured that the sheriff’s office release the illegal alien from their custody, allowing him to run free for nearly two months before being arrested ICE agents.
On June 14, Pacheco-Leonardo was arrested by Mecklenburg County police for one count of first-degree rape and two counts of indecent liberties with a child. The following day, ICE placed a detainer on the illegal alien. Rather than handing him over to ICE, Mecklenburg police released Pacheco-Leonardo on June 16.