ICE's most wanted fugitive captured in Louisiana
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jose Melchor Martinez was one of ICE's most wanted fugitives. (ice.gov)
A Mexican national and convicted child sex offender was arrested Wednesday morning at his Louisiana home by a division of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, a Department of Justice press release said.
Jose Melchor Martinez, 48, was arrested in his Church Point home by an Enforcement and Removal Operations team, which is a component of ICE. He is one of ICE's most wanted fugitives, according to the release.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Martinez was convicted on a felony charge of "taking indecent liberties with a child" in North Carolina in November 2002, according to an ICE press release. After being released from criminal custody, he was deported to Mexico in 2003.
Martinez then illegally re-entered the U.S. -- a felony act under federal law, officials said. Earlier this year, he was arrested and convicted of a DUI in south-central Louisiana and sentenced to probation.
Martinez's arrest and conviction alerted ERO agents of his presence in the country. The agency obtained an arrest warrant for "illegal re-entry of a previously removed felon," according to the ICE press release.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Martinez was turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service where he remains in custody pending federal felony prosecution.
Martinez faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release if convicted, according to the DOJ press release.