News Releases

ICE removes international fugitive wanted for murder

MIAMI - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Wednesday removed a Dominican national, wanted in the Dominican Republic for first degree murder.

Jose Odalis Perez-Calderon, aka Elvis Luna Peña, 32, was removed to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on an ICE Air Operations flight. Upon arrival at Herrera International Airport in Santo Domingo, Perez was turned over to Dominican law enforcement and immigration authorities.

Perez was initially encountered by ICE's ERO Miami Field Office Criminal Alien Program in San Juan on July 29 after he was identified at the Puerto Rico State Correctional Facility on charges for firearm possession without a license. Thereafter, Perez was placed in immigration removal proceedings for being in violation of U.S. immigration law.

In February 2009, Perez entered the United States without inspection through Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. On Aug. 19, an immigration judge granted Perez a voluntary departure on or before Aug. 26, with an alternate order of removal to the Dominican Republic. Perez failed to comply with the voluntary departure order and on Aug. 27, he became subject to the alternate removal order.

On Oct. 4, Perez was sentenced to three months in jail under the name of Elvis Luna-Pena for possession of firearm without a license, by the Puerto Rico First Instance Court, San Juan Superior Chamber. On Oct. 21, Perez was transferred back from state to ICE custody.

ICE discovered that Perez had an outstanding Interpol warrant dated Nov. 3, in the Criminal Court of San Francisco de Macoris, Provincia Duarte, Dominican Republic, pertaining to murder in the first degree. This was a result of an ICE ERO partnership with Interpol, "Operation Far Away," an intelligence-driven operation designed to target, locate and arrest criminal aliens believed to be in hiding in the United States and in other Western Hemisphere countries.

"Criminals who think that they can use the United States as a safe haven are sorely mistaken," said Marc Moore, field office director for ICE ERO in Miami. "ICE prioritizes locating foreign fugitives hiding in the United States and turning them over to our foreign law enforcement partners to face justice in their native countries, and as a result, our communities are safer and more secure."