OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
12:59 PM – Friday, August 8, 2025
In Newark, New Jersey, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has arrested four more child sex offenders since July 21st — as part of “Operation Apex Predator,” an ongoing effort to target “illegal aliens with histories of child exploitation.”
The most recent arrests now make up a total of eight illegal aliens who were apprehended as part of this specific operation.
On July 17th, HIS and ERO Newark arrested 45-year-old Juan Valle, who was in the U.S. illegally from El Salvador, and had been sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of sexual assault of a victim under the age of 13 in 2019, among other sexual assault charges.
“HIS” refers to Homeland Security Investigations, a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). HIS investigates transnational crimes and threats, including immigration enforcement, human trafficking, cybercrime, and more. “ERO” stands for Enforcement and Removal Operations, another division of ICE. ERO is responsible for identifying, arresting, detaining, and removing noncitizens who are in the United States illegally or who are subject to removal for other reasons (ex: other criminal activity).
Authorities also apprehended 38-year-old Mexican national Reyes Peralta Salazar, who had previously been sentenced in 2023 to 180 days in jail for criminal sexual conduct involving endangerment of a child.
Additionally, Javier Garcia Nicolasa, a 42-year-old Mexican national, was convicted in 2023 of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor under his care and was subsequently sentenced to three years of imprisonment. He was taken into custody on July 21st by ICE agents, HSI Newark, and ERO Newark.
Another arrest, Gerson Jose Saenz Umana, a 27-year-old Salvadoran national, is a registered sex offender with a history of child exploitation.
Meanwhile, the most recent group of apprehended criminals is listed in a Thursday ICE press release:
- Ecuadorian national, 36-year-old Manuel Gregorio Loja, was arrested by ICE HSI and ERO on July 24th. He was sentenced to three years of probation in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County, for false imprisonment and cruelty and neglect of children.
- 40-year-old Salvadorian national Leonidas Riviera Gonzalez was arrested the same day, having previously been sentenced to parole supervision for life for endangering sexual conduct with a child by a non-caretaker in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Hudson County.
- Jeferson Isaac Flores Pineda, a 19-year-old Honduran citizen, was arrested on July 31st after previously being apprehended by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s office for the offense of aggravated sexual assault and convicted by the Juvenile Court of Hudson County of false imprisonment.
- Finally, Newark HIS and ERO officials took Daniel Garcia Cruz, a 35-year-old Mexican national, into custody on August 3rd. He was on three years of probation after his conviction of criminal sexual contact in 2023 from the Superior Court of New Jersey, Hudson County.
All individuals have been required to register as sex offenders in the state of New Jersey and are currently held in ICE custody awaiting removal proceedings.
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