Honduran national last seen in Colorado now on ICE most wanted list

DENVER — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) has added a Honduran national with a last known location of Leadville, Colorado, to its most wanted list yesterday.

Joe Toro-Zaldivar, 36, is a repeat immigration violator and citizen of Honduras in the United States illegally. He was charged by the Lake County Sheriff's Department with assault on a peace officer, strangulation, felony menacing with a weapon, disarming an officer, three charges of assault, criminal mischief and resisting arrest March 29, 2019.

Toro illegally entered the U.S. without being inspected, admitted or paroled by an immigration official and was removed to his home country in 2005. He returned to the U.S. in February 2010.

The Criminal Alien Program within ICE ERO identified and detained Toro May 20, and he was placed into ICE custody at the Aurora Contract Detention Facility in Colorado.

On May 28, ICE released Toro on writ of habeas corpus so he could appear in Lake County courthouse in person. The judge granted him bond and he was subsequently released from custody rather than being returned to ICE as required by the writ. ICE attempted to locate Toro at his residence in Leadville, Colorado and his worksite in Vail, Colorado.

ICE focuses its limited resources, first and foremost, on those who pose the greatest threat to public safety and border security and does not target aliens indiscriminately; the agency conducts investigations and gathers intelligence on specific individuals for immigration enforcement.

Targets are often those who were arrested on local criminal charges or have blatant disregard for U.S. immigration laws. The agency’s arrest statistics clearly reflect this. Nationally, approximately 86 percent of ERO’s administrative arrests during fiscal year 2019 either had criminal convictions or were pending criminal charges.

In most cases, once aliens pending criminal prosecution are transferred to ICE or otherwise enter ICE custody, ICE works with the prosecutor and law enforcement authorities, such as the district attorney’s office and relevant sheriff’s office, to ensure these aliens attend any and all criminal court proceedings. This ICE-DA cooperation involves transferring custody of aliens as necessary via writs of habeas corpus to further a criminal prosecution and ensure the alien is returned to ICE custody once the proceedings are finished. Such writs may also be used to ensure that aliens in ICE custody appear in court as witnesses.

Do not attempt to apprehend the subject. If you have information about the whereabouts of this fugitive, immediately contact your local ICE office or call the national hotline at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE as soon as possible.