Officials disclosed on Monday that two individuals residing in the U.S. illegally were apprehended last week in connection with a “violent” home invasion in North Carolina, which resulted in one person being hospitalized.
The alleged break-in took place in a suburban area during the early hours of Wednesday morning, according to the Pitt County Sheriff.
“At 3:16 a.m. on February 11, 2026, Pitt County deputies responded to an assault report at 200 Louis Street in the Cherry Oaks neighborhood of Greenville. Upon arrival, deputies determined that the situation involved a home invasion,” the sheriff’s office stated.
“Both suspects who were taken into custody were found to be unlawfully present in the United States.”
Jonathan David Garcia-Lario, a 20-year-old without a permanent address, was taken into custody on February 13, 2026, following the burglary incident. (Pitt County Sheriff)
Authorities detained the suspects two days after the event, identifying them as 20-year-old Jonathan David Garcia-Lario, who is homeless, and 21-year-old Zaid Mayen from Chapel Hill. Evidence linked to the crime was found in an apartment in Chapel Hill, located approximately two hours from where the incident occurred.
The suspects are accused of committing multiple serious crimes, including rape or an equivalent forcible offense, kidnapping, burglary and using a deadly weapon with intent to kill.
They are each facing four felony charges for first-degree burglary, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree forcible sex offense, and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury.
Authorities did not confirm the nature or extent of the victim’s injuries but said the individual was taken to a local hospital by ambulance.
The sun rises over Greenville, North Carolina, on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. (Madeline Gray for The Washington Post)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was notified, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is expected to become involved. Authorities noted that an ICE detainer was placed on each individual, indicating that immigration agents may eventually take custody of them.
A police officer pulls police tape around a crime scene on Jan. 6, 2022. (Photo by Aimee Dilger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images))
The arrests were carried out with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, which helps track and apprehend fugitives. The Chapel Hill Police Department also took part in the operation.
Officials suggested that the incident was a serious criminal offense that prompted detectives from the Major Crimes and Forensic Services Units to respond to the scene.
Garcia-Lario was initially booked into the Franklin County Detention Center, where he was held without bond, and was later transferred to the Pitt County Detention Center on Monday, where he remains in custody without bond.
Mayen was initially booked into the Orange County Detention Center and held without bond.
Fox News Digital reached out to the DHS for more information.
