Mexican National Wanted for Murder Deported

A Mexican national, murder suspect captured in northern California July 2012 was turned over to Mexican law enforcement personnel Friday, August 17, 2012, at the San Ysidro border crossing by officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Alvaro Hernandez-Fuentes, 38, was transferred to the custody of representatives from the Mexican Attorney General's Office. Hernandez-Fuentes is wanted in his native country for fatally shooting an acquaintance in the Mexican state of Colima Dec. 1, 1993.

According to the Mexican arrest warrant issued in January 1994, Hernandez-Fuentes' girlfriend lured the victim, Alejandro Gomez Garcia, to a location with the promise that marijuana would soon be available. When Gomez Garcia arrived, Hernandez-Fuentes was waiting, and proceeded to fire three shots with a .380 caliber pistol.

When Hernandez-Fuentes realized the victim was still alive, he fired three additional shots. Hernandez-Fuentes's girlfriend eventually surrendered to police, telling them that Hernandez-Fuentes was attempting to force her to burglarize a store to fund his escape to the United States.

Hernandez-Fuentes' repatriation to Mexico follows his arrest July 12, at a residence in Watsonville, Calif., by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Santa Cruz Anti-Crime Team (SCCACT). The multi-agency law enforcement team was able to locate Hernandez-Fuentes after receiving a lead from the Mexican Attorney General's Office that the fugitive might be living in the Watsonville area.

On August 9, 2012, an immigration judge cleared the way for the fugitive's repatriation to Mexico after Hernandez-Fuentes admitted he was, in fact, the same person wanted for the homicide in Colima.

"Criminals who seek to escape responsibility for their actions by fleeing to the United States will find no sanctuary in our communities" said Joseph Vincent, assistant special agent in charge for HSI San Jose. "As this case makes clear, U.S. law enforcement agencies are working closely together to promote public safety and hold criminals accountable – no matter where they commit their crimes."

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 450 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

Man Wanted in Korea for Molestation is Arrested

A local man who is wanted by Korean law enforcement authorities for allegedly molesting four young boys while he was working as an English teacher in Daegu, Korea, was arrested Monday, February 27, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS).

Michael Timothy Burke, 56, of Chicago, is the subject of an international warrant issued on July 9, 2010, by the Daegu District Court of the Republic of Korea. The Republic of Korea has requested that Burke be formally extradited to face charges of indecent acts through violence or intimidation against children under age 13, as contained in the Korean Criminal Act.

According to the extradition complaint filed in federal court Feb. 24 in the Northern District of Illinois, an investigation by Korean authorities revealed that in the summer of 2010, Burke was working as an English teacher at an elementary school in Daegu, Korea. On July 3, 2010, two students reported to their homeroom teacher that they had been sexually fondled by Burke. On July 5, 2010, Burke was banned from teaching at the school, and he left Korea two days later.

Further investigation by Korean authorities revealed that Burke had allegedly molested four 11- and 12-year-old boys at the elementary school during June and July 2010. According to the complaint, the alleged acts against the boys involved improper sexual contact, including fondling and touching.

"This case is an excellent example of how HSI works closely with our international law enforcement partners to identify fugitives who are wanted for crimes committed abroad," said Gary Hartwig, special agent in charge of HSI Chicago.

The investigation leading up to Burke's arrest was conducted by HSI Chicago; HSI Seoul, South Korea; USMS; and the Daegu, Korea, Metropolitan Police Agency.

Burke is currently in USMS custody.