Houston Police Department detectives arrested Abner Ruiz, Carlos Gomez, and Erick Menjivar for online solicitation of a minor earlier this week, according to Fox 26 Houston.
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“Houston police confirm that the three were arrested in separate incidents as part of an ongoing operation,” Fox 26’s Abagail Dye reported. “HPD did not say they are targeting undocumented immigrants.”
Houston Field Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers who work in the Harris County jail placed immigration detainers on the three Salvadoran nationals. Fox 26 published the following statements from ERO officials:
Carlos Gomez
“Carlos Murcia Gomez is a 33-year-old previously deported criminal alien from El Salvador who illegally entered the United States Oct. 19, 2012. An immigration judge ordered Murcia Gomez removed from the U.S. Feb. 20, 2020, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported him to El Salvador March 2, 2020. On an unknown date, Murcia Gomez illegally reentered the U.S. and wasn’t encountered again by U.S. immigration officials until July 17, 2025, when ICE lodged an immigration detainer on him with the Harris County Jail following his arrest for online solicitation of a minor. In addition to his current criminal charges, Murcia Gomez was convicted of assaulting a family member Aug. 10, 2015.”
Erick Menjivar
“Erick Omar Lara Menjivar is a 30-year-old illegal alien from El Salvador who illegally entered the United States July 25, 2018, near San Ysidro, California. He was arrested the same day by the U.S. Border Patrol and released July 28, 2018, pending disposition of his immigration proceedings. Lara Menjivar’s immigration case was dismissed by an immigration judge Aug. 19, 2024, after the federal government exercised prosecutorial discretion pursuant to the immigration enforcement priorities at the time. ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Lara Menjivar with the Harris County Jail July 18, 2025, following his arrest for online solicitation of a minor.” (Emphasis added by Breitbart)
Abner Ruiz
“Abner Martinez Ruiz is a 37-year-old illegal alien from El Salvador who illegally entered the United States on an unknown date. Martinez Ruiz wasn’t encountered by U.S. immigration officials until July 17, 2025, when ICE officers lodged an immigration detainer on him with the Harris County Jail following his arrest for online solicitation of a minor.”
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As Gomez fled the scene, Houston Crime Stoppers’ Andy Kahn told Fox 26 that Gomez fled the scene and crashed into a gate, causing injury to a pedestrian. Kahn said the pedestrian “now has multiple injuries, bodily injuries, all because Carlos Gomez wanted to have sex with an underage child.”
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Court records for Menjivar indicate he as prior charges for disorderly conduct with a firearm and assault on a family member with a previous conviction. He also had a probation violation for a previous assault bodily injury charge.
Ruiz does not appear to have any previous criminal charges in Harris County.
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In an unrelated case this week, Livingston, Texas, police officers arrested 31-year-old Randy Newman, a Goodrich, Texas, resident, for online solicitation oof a minor, Fox 26 Digital reported. Livingston police officials say Newman drove to Matthews Street to meet up with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. Police took him into custody at the scene.
Polk County jail records show Newman was released the following day on a bond of $30,ooo.
* Original Article:
https://www.breitbart.com/border/2025/07/26/three-salvadoran-illegal-aliens-arrested-for-online-solicitation-of-minors-in-texas-sting-operation/