An illegal immigrant from Brazil, Warley Neto, has been arrested and charged with multiple child rape offenses in Martha’s Vineyard. This comes just months after being released from prison for strangling someone, according to federal officials.
Neto, 24, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials on August 23. He was indicted on five counts of raping a Massachusetts minor and five counts of enticing a minor under 16 earlier this year. Neto had crossed into the US illegally near Paso Del Norte, Texas, in March 2018. Despite being served a notice to appear before an immigration judge, he was later released from custody.
In February last year, Neto was arrested by local police in Martha’s Vineyard on charges including strangulation, assault and battery on a family or household member, and threat to commit a crime. He was found guilty in June 2023 and sentenced to a year in prison, but only served 90 days after the Edgartown District Court suspended the rest of his sentence.
Following his release, Neto was rearrested and indicted on the rape charges in Dukes County Superior Court. Details of the attacks he allegedly committed, such as the victims targeted and the locations of the assaults, have not been disclosed.
After being held in Dukes County Jail, Neto was transferred into ICE custody following an immigration detainer issued by Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston. The cooperation of the Dukes County Sheriff’s Office was crucial in ensuring Neto’s safe transfer.
Director Todd M. Lyons of Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston emphasized the importance of removing dangerous offenders from communities to prevent reoffending. He mentioned that ERO Boston will continue to apprehend and remove noncitizen offenders from New England to uphold public safety.
ERO is responsible for detaining and removing illegal immigrants from the US, following orders from immigration judges with the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. This agency operates independently from the Department of Homeland Security and ICE.
