ERO Boston arrests fugitive Romanian, convicted murderer

BOSTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston arrested an unlawfully present fugitive and convicted murderer in Watertown Dec. 1. The 40-year-old citizen of Romania has an extensive criminal history in the United States and in multiple European nations.

“This convicted criminal and financial scammer will no longer be able to victimize the residents of Massachusetts as a result of the courageous work of the ERO Boston team,” said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons. “Convicted foreign fugitive criminals will not be allowed to hide out and engage in criminal activities in our region. ERO Boston remains as committed as ever to fighting the danger of foreign fugitive, public safety threats. We will pursue such threats and have them removed from our community. We will not relent on this mission.”

The Romanian national entered the United States near Hidalgo, Texas, in July 2017. U.S. Customs and Border Protection apprehended him. He was placed into removal proceedings and released on his own recognizance at the time.

The Romanian fugitive, who has since been convicted of crimes including theft and armed robbery in the United States, also has felony convictions in several European nations. In 2004, he was convicted of bodily harm in Romania; in 2007, he was convicted of aggravated theft in France; in 2010, he was convicted of and served time for murder in Romania. In 2014 and 2015 he was convicted of multiple crimes in France and Latvia, including counterfeiting financial documents.

In November 2023, ERO Boston became aware of credible information placing the Romanian national in its area of responsibility. He was under investigation by local authorities for a series of larceny scams across Massachusetts.

ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is a separate entity from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal.

In fiscal year 2022, ERO arrested 46,396 noncitizens with criminal histories. This group had 198,498 associated charges and convictions, including 21,531 assault offenses; 8,164 sex and sexual assault offenses; 5,554 weapons offenses; 1,501 homicide-related offenses; and 1,114 kidnapping offenses.

As one of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations and the repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)