WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have arrested the father of the 18-year-old Rockville High School rape suspect on Friday after he was found to be in the country illegally.
Adolfo Sanchez-Reyes, 43, of Guatemala, was arrested after ICE reviewed his immigration history and found him to be unlawfully in the U.S., said Matthew Bourke with ICE in a statement made Monday.
Sanchez-Reyes is the father of Henry Sanchez-Milian, one of two students facing charges in connection to the rape of a 14-year-old student in a Rockville High School bathroom earlier this month. Jose Montano, 17, is the other student facing similar charges.
A U.S. Border Patrol agent encountered Sanchez-Milian in Texas in August 2016 and determined that he had unlawfully entered the country. He was then ordered to appear before an immigration judge, but a hearing was never scheduled. He is facing possible deportation.
Sanchez-Reyes’ lawyer has confirmed to WTOP that the Department of Homeland Security has “initiated removal proceedings” and that he is in DHS custody.
He has been issued a notice to appear in immigration court and is currently being held at the Howard County Detention Center in Jessup, Maryland, according to ICE.
The arrest of Sanchez-Reyes, the accusations of rape and other recent alleged attacks have some Montgomery County officials reassessing safety at Rockville High School.
“They are conducting a comprehensive safety audit,” said Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner told WTOP.
He said he spoke with Superintendent Jack Smith about it.
“Dr. Smith raised the issue as to whether or not the bathroom doors should be more like airport doors — which is that you don’t have a closed door.”
WTOP’s Keara Dowd and John Domen contributed to this report.
