A Haitian migrant, Cory B. Alvarez, who faces charges of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl at a hotel-turned-emergency shelter for migrant families in Massachusetts, has been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), reported the Boston Herald. After having been released on a $500 bail by a Plymouth court, despite a federal immigration detainer, law enforcement sources confirmed that ICE took Alvarez into custody.
The incident, which occurred on March 13 at the Comfort Inn on Hingham Street in Rockland, came to light after the alleged victim, who was also staying at the shelter, accused Alvarez of assaulting her in his room. NBC Boston noted that the victim was treated at South Shore Hospital following the incident. Alvarez was indicted on charges of aggravated rape of a child with an 10-year age difference and rape of a child by force, as per the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office. These charges were brought forward after the teenager reported that she visited Alvarez's room, where he was supposed to help her with tablet apps, according to court documents obtained by NBC Boston.
After his initial arrest, Alvarez pleaded not guilty and was under GPS monitoring while out on bail. His case, set for a court appearance to consider the Commonwealth's motion to compel a DNA sample, was disrupted by his ICE detention and subsequently continued until next week. A defense attorney has the intention to file a motion to return Alvarez to the court's jurisdiction. Assistant District Attorney Shanan Buckingham expressed concerns about potential complications in obtaining Alvarez's DNA sample if he is moved out of state or deported,
Resources for victims of sexual assault were highlighted, including the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline, with Massachusetts also providing a statewide list of resources for sexual assault survivors. Amid this individual case, lawmakers in Massachusetts continue to work on addressing the larger migrant crisis, which has swelled the state's shelter system capacity to its limits, now housing 7,500 families with more on the waiting list, NBC Boston reported.
