Immigration and Customs Enforcement criticized the Portsmouth Police Department in Rhode Island, revealing on Saturday that the agency allowed an illegal alien from Guatemala out of custody despite his alleged crimes against a child.
Josue Santiago Perez-Gomez entered the country illegally, and the Portsmouth Police Department arrested him for “patronizing a minor for commercial sexual activity, indecent solicitation of a child, and procurement of sexual conduct for a fee,” according to a report from Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin.
Perez-Gomez was nevertheless released from custody on the same day.
ICE had put out a detainer for his arrest, but Portsmouth Police Department ignored the detainer, letting Perez-Gomez back onto the streets.
ICE found and arrested him on the same day of his release.
ICE Boston Field Office Director Patricia Hyde blasted the Portsmouth Police Department for releasing him without warning.
“Josue Santiago Perez-Gomez stands accused of some disgusting and disturbing crimes and represents a clear threat to the children of our Rhode Island communities,” she said in a statement.
“Releasing an alleged child sex offender the very day of his arrest begs the question, what is the point of arresting him at all?” she asked.
“Luckily, the brave men and women of ICE were able to remove this criminal alien pedophile from our streets where local authorities allowed him to potentially reoffend.”
NEW: ICE is calling out police in Portsmouth, RI after they say Portsmouth PD ignored ICE’s detainer and released a Guatemalan illegal alien alleged pedophile into the community after he had been arrested for felony sex crimes against a Rhode Island child. ICE found & arrested… pic.twitter.com/7Z0nZ6RjrU
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) August 9, 2025
It was not clear where or when Perez-Gomez entered the nation illegally, according to a Saturday report from Fox News.
He had not been admitted or inspected by any immigration officials.
Officials informed Fox News that Perez-Gomez will stay in federal custody as his deportation is processed.
Perez-Gomez is not the first alleged pedophile ICE has detained.
Last month, ICE announced a weekend operation that led to the arrest of multiple offenders.
Porfirio Bernal-Fregoso, an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested in North Carolina. He was “convicted of attempted rape of child and indecent liberties with a child.”
ICE further arrested Sergio Guerrero-Galvan, also from Mexico, who was convicted of “aggravated sexual assault of child.”
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