U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and other federal officials detained an individual who had recently been released from a county jail, despite facing multiple accusations of sex crimes against children.

Oscar Adalberto Penate, a 56-year-old from El Salvador, was apprehended again on July 27 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, with the aid of Homeland Security Investigations and the IRS’ Philadelphia offices. The Department of Homeland Security reported that Penate, who was subject to an ICE detainer, was freed from the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania “owing to the county’s sanctuary policies.”

“If the elected officials in Montgomery County aren’t going to safeguard the citizens of the county, we will,” stated ICE ERO Philadelphia Field Office Director Brian McShane. “An undocumented individual who broke the law by entering the United States without permission, and then is charged with severe crimes like this, should never be released to endanger the people of Montgomery County.”

“The sanctuary policies recently enacted by the Montgomery County Commissioners forced prison officials to release this individual to the streets rather than turn him over to ICE officials on the detainer filed against him,” added McShane. “I’m just grateful we apprehended him before he could inflict further harm.”

ICE conducted an operation at a car wash in Philadelphia earlier this year. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

Those charges against Penate are pending. 

“His criminal history includes an arrest by the Houston Police Department on Aug. 18, 2001, for resisting arrest, search or transport,” reported Homeland Security. “He pleaded guilty to these charges on Aug. 24, 2001.”

Penate will now remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings, Homeland Security added.