ICE detains 4 illegal immigrant child sex offenders in New Jersey—one crossed border as unaccompanied minor

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have arrested four illegal immigrant child sex predators in Newark, New Jersey, in coordination with other law enforcement bodies, in the ongoing "Operation Apex Predator.”

According to ICE, authorities with DHS arrested Gerson Jose Saenz Umana, a 27-year-old El Salvadorian national and Javier Garcia Nicolasa, a 42-year-old Mexican national, on July 21. A few days prior, authorities took Juan Villatoro Valle, from El Salvador, and Reyes Peralta-Salazar, from Mexico, into custody as well.

All four are illegally in the United States and have been convicted of child sex crimes. A press release from ICE stated, "Garcia Nicolasa was convicted on Dec. 1, 2023, of endangering sexual conduct with a child by caretaker," and was then sentenced to three years in prison. "Umana is a registered sex offender with a sealed criminal history that involves the exploitation of a child," the release added.

Umana entered the US at an unknown date, but his first encounter with authorities was in Texas in 2012, when he was an unaccompanied minor living in the US illegally. 

"Villatoro Valle, age 45, was convicted on Aug. 2, 2019, of sexual assault involving a victim under the age of 13, aggravated criminal sexual assault, and endangering with sexual conduct." Additionally, "Reyes Peralta-Salazar, age 38, was arrested on Sept. 14, 2023, for criminal sexual conduct and endangering – sexual conduct with child. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail."

"Operation Apex Predator" is an ongoing investigation with the Department of Homeland Security Cyber Crimes Center Child Exploitation Investigations Unit, which is actively seeking out illegal immigrants who are convicted sex offenders but are still residing in the United States.

At the time, the FBI and DOJ engaged in an investigation into child sex abuse material networks called Operation Grayskull. The operation so far has resulted in 18 convictions and has dismantled four dark websites that are dedicated to child sexual abuse material.