U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced the arrest of a 21-year-old Brazilian illegal immigrant in Plymouth, Massachusetts, this week.
Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston arrested Luan Lucas De Sousa Goncalves, whom local authorities have charged with rape and indecent assault and battery on a person over 14.
Plymouth police arrested De Sousa Goncalves on December 1 following an incident outside the Main Street Sports Bar and Grill. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston was subsequently notified of the arrest.
Acting field office director Patricia H. Hyde commended the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office for honoring an immigration detainer, which allowed federal immigration authorities to take custody of De Sousa Goncalves shortly after his release on bond.
“De Sousa has been accused of raping and assaulting someone in one of our Massachusetts communities,” Hyde said in an ICE press release. “After our colleagues at the Plymouth Police Department arrested him, ERO Boston lodged an immigration detainer. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, who are wonderful partners in the fight to keep the residents of Massachusetts safe, honored the detainer and turned him over to our custody. We are thankful for all the police departments and sheriff’s offices in Massachusetts that prioritize public safety.”
“Each time our partner agencies honor a detainer, our officers can arrest potentially dangerous noncitizens in safe, controlled environments without exposing the public to unnecessary danger,” Hyde added.
The Plymouth Independentreported that the incident began early Sunday morning, December 1, when police were alerted to a disturbance near the bar. Witnesses reportedly accused De Sousa Goncalves of assaulting a woman he had met earlier that night. Police described the woman as visibly shaken and crying when they arrived. She later told officers that although she initially consented to some physical contact, she claims she told De Sousa Goncalves “no” before getting raped.
De Sousa Goncalves, who primarily speaks Portuguese, denied the allegations, claiming the encounter was consensual, according to Boston 25 News. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his initial court appearance on December 4. He was held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility on $1,000 bail before being transferred to ICE custody.
De Sousa Goncalves entered the United States illegally in July 2023, according to federal immigration authorities.
Earlier this year, a Plymouth County probate judge issued a ruling helping his case to stay in the United States, determining that he had been neglected and abandoned by his father in Brazil. This ruling made De Sousa Goncalves eligible to apply for special immigrant juvenile status, which could pave the way for permanent residency, court records show.
However, ICE spokesman Yolanda Choates emphasized that the agency can detain and deport noncitizens who commit crimes, regardless of their special immigrant juvenile designation.
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has the authority to detain and deport noncitizens who engage in criminal activities, pose a threat to public safety, or violate the terms of their visas,” Choates told The Plymouth Independent. “Decisions regarding detention or deportation are made on a case-by-case basis.”
A probable cause hearing is scheduled for Friday, December 20. De Sousa Goncalves remains in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.
A lawyer who is representing De Sousa Goncalves in the criminal case could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday.
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