U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 26-year-old illegal Salvadoran national Nelson Vladimir Amaya-Benitez on May 12 in Gaithersburg.
Amaya is a validated MS-13 gang member and has been convicted of second-degree malicious burning, rogue and vagabond, and possession of marijuana.
The U.S. Border Patrol apprehended Amaya after he illegally entered the United States near Hidalgo, Texas, on February 3, 2016, and served him a notice to appear.
The Irving Police Department in Texas arrested and charged Amaya with possession of marijuana on September 1, 2016. The Criminal District Court 2 in Dallas convicted him of possession of marijuana on September 21, 2016, and sentenced him to 36 days of confinement.
The Seagoville, Texas, Police Department arrested and charged Amaya with unauthorised use of a vehicle and evading arrest on October 8, 2016. The 291st District Court in Dallas convicted him of unauthorised use of a vehicle and evading arrest on November 13, 2018, and sentenced him to 90 days of confinement.
ICE arrested Amaya on November 14, 2018.
The Montgomery County Police Department in Rockville arrested and charged him with armed robbery on May 26, 2017. On May 27, 2017, ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Amaya with the Montgomery County Detention Center.
The Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville convicted him of robbery on June 29, 2017, and sentenced him to 10 years of confinement with all but 18 months suspended.
A Department of Justice immigration judge ordered Amaya removed from the U.S. on August 13, 2019. ICE removed him to El Salvador on August 28, 2019.
Amaya illegally reentered the U.S. on an unknown date at an unknown location without being inspected, admitted or paroled by an immigration officer.
ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Amaya with the Montgomery County Detention Center on August 18, 2022, following his arrest by Montgomery County police. The detention centre declined to honour ICE’s immigration detainer and released Amaya from custody the same day.
Montgomery County police arrested and charged him with theft on February 8, 2023. The District Court for Montgomery County in Silver Spring convicted him of theft on July 7, 2023, and sentenced him to two months and 29 days of confinement, but suspended his entire sentence.
On May 13, 2023, the Montgomery County Police Department arrested and charged Amaya with motor vehicle theft, rogue, and vagabond. The District Court for Montgomery County in Silver Spring convicted him of motor vehicle theft and rogue and vagabond on August 4, 2023. He received a sentence of five years’ confinement with all but 18 months suspended.
On the same date, the ICE lodged an immigration detainer against him with the Montgomery County Detention Center. On an unknown date, the detention centre declined to honour ICE’s immigration detainer and released Amaya from custody.
The Montgomery County Police Department arrested and charged Amaya with second-degree malicious burning on May 22, 2023. The District Court for Montgomery County in Silver Spring convicted him of the charge on August 7, 2023, and sentenced him to 18 months of confinement.
ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Amaya with the Montgomery County Detention Center on October 11, 2023. On an unknown date, that facility again declined to honour ICE’s immigration detainer and released Amaya from custody.
The Montgomery County Police Department arrested and charged Amaya with attempted motor vehicle theft on September 29, 2024. On the same date, the ICE issued an immigration detainer on Amaya with the Montgomery County Detention Center.
The Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville convicted Amaya of attempted motor vehicle theft on April 4 and sentenced him to three years of confinement with two years, five months and 11 days suspended.
On April 18, the Montgomery County Detention Center again declined to honour ICE’s immigration detainer and released Amaya from custody.
Amaya is currently in ICE custody.
