U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Marvin Mateo-Alberto, a 35-year-old Honduran national accused of incest and aggravated sexual battery in a joint operation involving multiple federal agencies. ICE was forced to search for the accused sex offender after local law enforcement authorities failed to honor an immigration detainer filed with the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
Despite having been previously ordered deported by a U.S. immigration judge, the issuance of the ICE detainer, and the serious nature of the criminal charges against Mateo-Alberto, his release was deliberate and required by public policy. Fairfax County’s Public Trust and Confidentiality Policy, in place since 2021, precludes county law enforcement authorities from cooperating with ICE in matters related to immigration enforcement efforts.
The victim in the alleged child sex crimes is between the ages of 13 and 17 years, according to ICE. Mateo was initially arrested after entering the United States illegally almost 20 years ago in Eagle Pass, Texas. After his arrest by the Border Patrol, he was released pending his deportation hearing.
In a statement issued after his arrest, Washington ICE ERO Field Office Director Hott said, “Marvin Mateo-Alberto stands accused of some very appalling and disturbing crimes and represents a threat to the children of our Virginia communities, we cannot in good conscience allow Mr. Mateo to continue to potentially threaten other children in our neighborhoods.”
Mateo-Alberto was ordered deported during the George W. Bush administration in April 2006 by an immigration judge. Still, the order was not enforced as he was not in federal custody. In January 2025, Fairfax County Police officers arrested Mateo-Alberto. They charged him with incest with a 13-17-year-old child and aggravated sexual battery: parent with a 13-17-year-old child. The Honduran illegal alien was detained at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. Despite a formal request to detain Mateo-Alberto lodged by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, he was released pending his criminal trial.
Mateo-Alberto was one of several criminal illegal aliens who ICE targeted during a recent immigration enforcement raid in and around Fairfax County last week. In addition to Mateo-Alberto and those targeted in the operation, several other illegal aliens were also arrested as they accompanied those on the target list.
An ABC7 news crew accompanied ICE agents during the operation when authorities located a pickup truck that Mateo-Alberto was riding in. Two other illegal aliens from Honduras were in the vehicle at the time and were also arrested after the truck they were riding in was stopped by federal agents. ICE ERO Washington Field Office Director told ABC7 the Fairfax County Sheriff’s decision not to honor detainers is dangerous and presents a risk to law enforcement officers.
Mateo-Alberto remains in ICE custody.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Before his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
Read the full article here