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First on Fox: The Department of Homeland Security is touting its local cooperation with New York authorities to keep an illegal immigrant accused of raping a 5-year-old Long Island girl off the streets, despite state sanctuary laws that disallow such collaboration.
Carlos Aguilar Reynoso, 27, a Guatemalan citizen, was babysitting the child as a favor to her mother. When the mother returned home from work on Feb. 1, she discovered the girl bleeding through her underwear, prompting her to take her to a hospital.
The girl was transferred to a specialty hospital where she was given a rape kit and underwent surgery to repair internal injuries, the New York Post reported, citing law enforcement sources.
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With DNA not yet processed, Reynoso could only be initially charged with endangering the welfare of a child, an offense that bars prosecutors from seeking bail, under New York’s bail reform laws. Federal immigration authorities would also have been barred from taking Reynoso into custody under the state’s sanctuary laws.
“Carlos Aguilar Reynoso, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala, was charged for raping a five-year-old child in New York. While local law enforcement processed DNA evidence and built their case, they contacted ICE to arrest this pedophile so he would not be released into our communities to prey on more innocent children,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis.
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In a move to circumvent sanctuary laws, Reynoso was given a desk-appearance ticket so he would be processed and released from a police precinct for the endangerment charge.
ICE agents nabbed Reynoso as he was leaving a police precinct the day after the alleged rape. DNA results later tied him to the rape, authorities said.
On Monday, Reynoso was charged with predatory sex assault against a child, vaginal sexual contact with a child, sexual abuse, acting in a manner to injure a child and resisting arrest.
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“This case shows why we need local law enforcement cooperation. When we work together, our communities are safer,” Bis said.
DHS noted that seven of the 10 safest cities cooperate with ICE.
Last week, Reynoso was issued a final order of removal from the United States by an immigration judge.
