Ice arrests 4 illegal alien child sex offenders in new jersey during operation apex predator

ICE arrests 4 illegal alien child sex offenders in New Jersey during Operation Apex Predator

Posted by
1 min read
July 28, 2025

NEWARK, N.J. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Newark arrested four undocumented immigrants with convictions related to child sexual exploitation as part of an ongoing initiative known as Operation Apex Predator, the agency announced Monday.

The arrests occurred over four days and involved cooperation between ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) teams based in Newark.

On July 21, agents apprehended Gerson Jose Saenz Umana, 27, a registered sex offender from El Salvador with a sealed conviction involving child exploitation, and Javier Garcia Nicolasa, 42, a Mexican national convicted in 2023 for endangering sexual conduct with a child by caretaker. Nicolasa was sentenced to three years in prison. Both individuals were found to be in the country illegally.

Just days earlier, on July 17, ICE arrested Juan Villatoro Valle, 45, of El Salvador, and Reyes Peralta-Salazar, 38, of Mexico. Villatoro Valle was convicted in 2019 of multiple offenses, including aggravated criminal sexual assault on a child under 13, and sentenced to five years in prison. Peralta-Salazar was arrested in 2023 and later sentenced to 180 days for criminal sexual conduct involving a child.

All four individuals are registered sex offenders in New Jersey and remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings or immigration hearings.

Operation Apex Predator targets convicted criminal alien sex offenders residing in the U.S., as part of a nationwide effort by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Crimes Center.

ICE says four convicted child sex offenders illegally living in New Jersey were arrested in just four days during the latest crackdown under Operation Apex Predator.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Facebook

Breaking News

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version