Honduran man accused in New York beating, rape arrested in Fort Bend County

HOUSTON - A suspect accused of beating and raping a man in New York was arrested in Fort Bend County while allegedly trying to flee to Mexico, officials say.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced last week that they lodged an immigration detainer against Jose Ignacio Bonilla-Garcia, 32, of Honduras, at the Fort Bend County Jail.

The backstory:

He is accused of beating a man unconscious and then dragging him behind a dumpster and raping him while he was incapacitated in New York, according to federal authorities.

On April 4, Bonilla-Garcia was taken into custody near Richmond, Texas, by the U.S. Marshals Service’s Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force, including ICE personnel and other law enforcement agencies.

What they're saying:

"This is one of the most egregious criminal offenses that I’ve come across in my entire career and another example of why it’s vital for law enforcement at all levels to work together in the interest of public safety," said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez. "Following the alleged assault, Bonilla-Garica traveled to Texas in a suspected attempt to flee to Mexico to evade prosecution for his alleged crimes. With a limited amount of time to work with, and a lot of ground to cover, the law enforcement community quickly came together to help track down this dangerous fugitive and he was safely taken into custody by the U.S Marshals Service’s Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force before he could leave the country. Without teamwork and collaboration between law enforcement at all levels, the outcome would have likely been very different."

By the numbers:

According to ICE, Bonilla-Garcia illegally entered the U.S. at least four times and was expelled three times in 2020 under Title 42. It’s unclear when or where he entered the U.S. a fourth time.