THE Bureau of Immigration arrested an American sex convict wanted by authorities in Texas for a string of criminal cases, who was hiding in rebel infested Insula, Sultan Kudarat.
Steven Riley thought he would be safe from being arrested by immigration operatives when he decided to live and stay in Sultan Kudarat, a lair of Abu Sayyaf terror group and well-known kidnap-for-ransom group.
BI commissioner Jaime Morente said he issued the mission order for Riley’s arrest at the request of the US Embassy in Manila which sought the BI’s help in locating the fugitive so he could be deported to the US to stand trial for his crimes.
He said the district court in Denton, Texas issued an arrest warrant against Riley last Jan. 13 upon learning he had jumped bail and fled the US.
He was previously convicted of sexually assaulting a 45-year-old woman.
Aside from being a sex offender, Riley was also indicted for causing bodily injury to a family member; larceny; violation of protective order by assaulting and stalking his former victim; disturbance of public peace; harassment; drunk driving; and misdemeanor. Vito Barcelo
“Undoubtedly, his presence here poses a risk to public safety. We should deport him immediately or he might prey on our women and children,” Morente said.
It was learned that being a registered sex offender in the US, Riley is required to periodically appear in person to local law enforcement authorities to enable them to keep track of his residence and activities.
BI OIC Associate Commissioner Jose Carlitos Licas disclosed that Riley’s passport has been revoked by the State Department, thus he is already an undocumented alien who is subject to summary deportation.
Licas added the American would be blacklisted and banned from re-entering the Philippines after he is deported.