BOSTON – Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) removed an illegally present Brazilian citizen Feb. 4, who is wanted in his home country on charges of kidnapping and robbery.

Vagner Geniu-Abreu, 39, of Brazil, was previously removed September 24, 2010, after a federal immigration judge issued him a final order of removal. Illegally reentering the United States after being lawfully removed is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

“ERO remains strongly committed to removing criminal aliens who pose a threat to our communities,” said Todd M. Lyons, acting field office director, ERO Boston. “We will not relent in our efforts to enforce the laws of the United States. Removing criminal aliens like Geniu-Abreu who have repeatedly violated our immigration laws is a critical part of keeping our streets and our neighborhoods safer.”

Geniu-Abreu initially entered the U.S. illegally in 2010. A federal immigration judge issued him a final order of removal in March 2010, and in September 2010, ICE carried out the court’s order and removed him to Brazil.

He was next encountered in May 2018 when he was arrested by ICE officers near Braintree, Massachusetts, after having illegally reentered the country. In September 2018, ICE was notified that Geniu-Abreu was wanted on outstanding kidnapping and robbery charges in Brazil. Geniu-Abreu was convicted in January 2019, of illegal reentry after removal in federal court in Boston and ICE officers reinstated his prior order and deported him to Brazil Feb. 4. 2019.

Geniu-Abreu was removed to Brazil via commercial flight without incident and transferred to Brazilian authorities who will pursue criminal charge against him in Brazil.