PHILADELPHIA — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) removed a Romanian national Nov. 19, who is wanted in his home country on criminal charges. Ioan Flore was removed from the United States via commercial air and upon arrival in Romania, ERO transferred Flore to the proper authorities.

On Aug. 20, 2015, a Romanian court convicted Flore of injury causing death, manslaughter, or murder, and sentenced him to incarceration for a period of five years and five months. Flore failed to surrender to serve his sentence. Flore subsequently fled Romania at an unknown date and entered the United States illegally.

On Jan. 28, 2018, the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) arrested Flore after responding to a theft in progress at a bank. PPD found Flore attempting to withdraw money from an ATM using a debit card that did not belong to him, and then proceeded to provide false identification to PPD.

In addition, Flore was in possession of 68 debit/credit cards that were not lawfully issued to him. PPD charged Flore with criminal conspiracy, possessing an instrument of crime, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, forgery and identity theft.

On Jan. 29, 2018, ICE lodged an immigration detainer with PPD. On the same date, PPD released Flore without notification to ICE, despite the detainer. The same night, ICE ERO Philadelphia arrested Flore in Philadelphia. In February 2018, he was charged federally with identity theft related charges and convicted in September 2018. He served more than a year on the charges and was ordered remove while in federal custody.

“When law enforcement agencies do not honor ICE detainers, these individuals, who often have significant criminal histories, are released onto the street, presenting a public safety threat,” said ICE Philadelphia Field Office Director Simona Flores-Lund. “Not only is this individual wanted for crimes in his home country, he has also exhibited blatant disregard for U.S. laws,” Flores-Lund continued, “Removing criminal aliens like this remains ICE’s highest priority.”