Haitian national accused of raping 15-year-old girl at Rockland migrant shelter arrested by ICE

BROCKTON, Mass. — A Haitian migrant accused of raping a teen girl in a Rockland migrant shelter in March was arrested in Brockton on Tuesday by immigration authorities after previously being released on $500 bond in June.

Cory Bernard Alvarez, 26, was indicted back in May by a Plymouth County grand jury for one count each of aggravated rape of a child with a ten-year age difference and rape of a child by force.

He pleaded not guilty and was eventually freed on $500 bail following a dangerousness hearing on June 27 because the Plymouth County Superior Court of Brockton refused to honor Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston’s immigration detainer, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

An immigration detainer is a request from ICE to state or local law enforcement agencies to notify them as early as possible before a removable noncitizen is released from their custody. Detainers are supposed to ensure local law enforcement maintains custody of the noncitizen for a period not to exceed 48 hours beyond the time the individual would otherwise be released, allowing ERO to assume custody for removal purposes in accordance with federal law.

“Cory Bernard Alvarez has been charged with victimizing a minor in a Massachusetts migrant shelter,” said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons. “He will have his day in court and ERO Boston will continue to cooperate with the criminal court system in Massachusetts, but we cannot allow any significant noncitizen threat to the children of our communities to potentially reoffend.”

Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said Alvarez’s arrest this morning was news to his office.

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apparently this morning, unbeknownst to our office, took Cory Alvarez into custody outside his house in Brockton,” Cruz said. “We came to court today prepared to move forward, and will continue to move forward with our rape case against Alvarez. This includes filing of a motion to compel his DNA.”

Cruz was critical of what he says are ambiguous guidelines handed down by federal authorities when it comes to handling and prosecuting criminal migrants.

“As part of the Alvarez case, for months now, our office has repeatedly asked questions of state and federal officials about specifics of the [Biden Administration Humanitarian Parole Program or Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans Program] CHNV process,” he said. “We have received little to no answers. There is clearly a reason that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has paused the issuance of travel authorizations for new CHNV beneficiaries while it undertakes a massive review of the process.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection admitted Alvarez into the United States lawfully on June 26, 2023, in New York, New York. However, officials say he violated the terms of his lawful admittance.

On March 13, Alvarez, who was staying at the Comfort Inn in Rockland as part of the CHNV, allegedly sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl in his room.

The girl, who only speaks Haitian Creole, told investigators through a translator she went to Alvarez’s room so he could help her with apps on a tablet before he forced himself on her, according to authorities.

Alvarez will return to court next Thursday.

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