A Brazilian teenager, known for his extensive criminal record and alleged gang affiliations, recently expressed remorse for his actions and sought forgiveness from a court. However, a judge ultimately denied him bond during an immigration hearing.
The boy, whose identity remains undisclosed, is an Everett resident who participated in a virtual court session last week. He joined from Virginia’s Northwest Regional Juvenile Detention Center, where he has been detained since his arrest on October 9.
Before the court denied his request for release, federal prosecutors argued that the teenager posed both a public safety threat and a flight risk. The Boston Globe reported this following a discussion with the boy’s attorney.
In a surprising twist, ICE has not disclosed the suspect’s name, who reportedly passed away at the hospital.
“I don’t think he’s in a good place, but he’s doing his best,” said attorney Andrew Lattarulo to the newspaper. “When I spoke with him, I noticed he’s trying to muster the strength in his voice, though you can still hear the 13-year-old child within.”
Lattarulo also mentioned that the boy and his family are involved in an ongoing asylum case, having allegedly entered the United States illegally in 2021. He suggested that self-deportation might be an option for the family, according to the newspaper.
The boy was taken into custody after authorities received a tip about a violent threat against another student, Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria told reporters. DeMaria said the teen had a long knife on him when he was arrested but no gun, which contradicts an earlier claim from the Department of Homeland Security.
A Brazilian teenage boy who lived in Massachusetts was denied release after federal prosecutors cited his alleged gang ties during immigration proceedings last week. (Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The Department of Homeland Security alleged the boy has ties to a Brazilian criminal ring known as “Gang 33” and “posed a public safety threat with an extensive rap sheet,” the Globe reported. DeMaria said the teen “has a criminal history, a criminal past” and is “well known” to local law enforcement, according to Boston.com.
DeMaria also denied claims that the city summoned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel to the police station following the boy’s arrest.
However, Boston-based Lawyers for Civil Rights has called for an independent state probe into the Everett Police Department’s role in the matter.
Fox News Digital has reached out to DHS and Lattarulo.
