Federal immigration officials said Friday that they had arrested a Haitian national who was previously convicted of 17 criminal charges in Massachusetts.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston office said 25-year-old Wisteguens Jean Quely Charles was arrested Wednesday in Boston.
ICE's press release Friday said Charles "entered the U.S. lawfully July 13, 2013 in Miami, Florida," but "violated the terms of his lawful admission."
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"Mr. Charles is illegally present the United States and has consistently broken our laws causing significant harm to the residents of Massachusetts," acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. "ERO Boston will not tolerate the repeated victimization of our New England neighborhoods. We will continue our mission to apprehend such illegal alien offenders and remove them from our communities."
ICE said Charles had been charged in a series of crimes committed between August of 2022 and August of 2024, being found guilty of charges including possession, intent to distribute and distribution of drugs; possession of a firearm and ammunition without a permit; assault and battery with a dangerous weapon; assault and battery; trespassing and resisting arrest. He was also convicted of carrying a separate dangerous weapon, being brass knuckles, according to the federal agency.
ICE says it issued an immigration detainer for Charles after an arrest in 2023, but that the Norfolk House of Correction released him in October of that year without honoring it.
Immigration officials did not say where in Boston Charles was arrested Wednesday. But law enforcement personnel wearing vests marked "POLICE — federal agent" were seen going door-to-door in an operation in East Boston that day, with at least one person being taken into custody.
Charles remains in the custody of ICE, which says he was issued a notice to appear before a U.S. Department of Justice immigration judge.
The Norfolk County Sheriff's Office issued the folowing statement Saturday about Charles' arrest.
"The Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for holding individuals remanded to our care and custody by the courts until that person makes bail, or has served their sentence," the statement said. "ICE is responsible for immigration enforcement. The Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office works cooperatively with ICE. As is our general practice, if the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office is made aware of an ICE detainer we inform ICE of when that person will be released from our custody. According to our records, ICE was notified about the impending release of Wisteguens Jean Quely Charles It was then incumbent on ICE to be there and fulfill its role. According to our records ICE indicated they were unable to make a pickup. We cannot violate a person’s due process by holding them beyond their legally stipulated term of confinement. We comply fully, within our authority. We remain willing to communicate with ICE and we appreciate the work of all law enforcement to keep our communities safe."
President Donald Trump's actions on immigration, including allowing ICE to make arrests in sensitive places like schools and churches, have had many in Massachusetts on edge.
Gov. Maura Healey gave a measured response Thursday to what has occurred so far in Massachusetts.
"It's in the normal work that federal law enforcement does, and that ICE does, in terms of removing threats to the community, specifically those who have engaged in criminal activity," said Healey.