MANASSAS, VA – An El Salvadoran man living in the United States illegally, who was previously convicted of sexual battery, was apprehended last week, authorities confirmed.
Joe Alfredo Maldonado was taken into custody on May 14 by deportation officers in Manassas, Virginia, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The arrest follows Maldonado’s conviction for sexual battery against a Virginia woman, marking him as a significant threat to the community, authorities said.
“Joe Alfredo Maldonado’s actions have demonstrated that he poses a considerable danger to the residents of our Virginia communities,” said ERO Washington, D.C. Field Office Director Liana Castano. “We must prevent violent criminals from victimizing our neighborhoods.”
Maldonado, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, entered the U.S. at an unspecified date and location without undergoing inspection or receiving admission from a U.S. immigration official, ICE reported. His legal troubles began in April 2014 when the Prince William County Police Department arrested him for driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor for which he served 30 days in jail.
In April 2020, Maldonado was arrested again by Prince William police, this time for felony forcible sodomy involving a victim aged 13 or older. He was convicted in January 2021 and sentenced to 364 days in jail. Despite an attempt by immigration authorities to lodge a detainer request with the Prince William County Adult Detention Center in April 2020, Maldonado was released before the request was processed.
ICE has now detained Maldonado, who will remain in custody pending deportation proceedings.