Mpls. police nab man deported for sex crime years ago

Article by: PAUL WALSH , Star Tribune
Updated: March 16, 2011 - 4:23 PM

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A man deported to his native Mexico within months of his conviction for sexual assault was arrested after living illegally for many years in Minneapolis, according to federal authorities.

Rodolfo Gomez-Olvera, 38, of Minneapolis, was indicted Tuesday in federal court in Minneapolis on a charge of illegal reentry.

Gomez-Olvera was convicted in Southern California in 1995 for having sex with a minor and deported several months later, according to court documents.

Court records also show:

In January of this year, Gomez-Olvera was arrested in Minneapolis on suspicion of driving without a valid license. He was booked at the Hennepin County jail and released.

The next day, immigration agents checked Gomez-Olvera's booking sheet, reviewed his immigration status and learned of his deportation from California.

Federal agents about two weeks later visited Gomez-Olvera's Minneapolis home, prompting him to try in vain to flee.

During a detention hearing, several letters were submitted in support of Gomez-Olvera. The letters described him as a longtime resident of his neighborhood, and a good husband, father and neighbor.

In ruling against allowing Gomez-Olvera to be free as his case went forward, the court wrote: "Although the defendant has been in the United States for many years and appears to be a stable member of his community with strong ties to his family, the defendant is a citizen of Mexico and attempted to flee when agents attempted to place him under arrest."

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482