ICE arrests three in targeted operation

A father-son pair with previous sex-offense convictions and a known gang member were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents in Greeley on Wednesday.

The sex offenders are Francisco Loma, 67, and his 33-year-old son, Jose Loma, both illegal immigrants from Mexico. They have separate and unrelated convictions based on sex offenses with underage girls. The father was convicted in Los Angeles of sexually assaulting his then 12-year-old daughter and served a three-year prison sentence. Jose Loma was convicted in 2003 in Weld County court for sexual assault on his 15-year-old girlfriend. He received a five-year deferred sentence.

The third man, 24, is Mexican and a member of the Norteno street gang, according to an ICE news release. ICE didn't release the 24-year-old man's name.

Greeley Police had been aware of the father and son for about a week, said Police Chief Jerry Garner.

"Any sex offender we've got unregistered is a concern to us," Garner said. "The unregistered ones really worry you because you don't know who they are or where they are."

The police department assisted ICE with the arrests.

"We called the two sex offenders in to meet with us," Garner said. "After our talking with them and ICE talking with them, ICE confirmed they were illegal and arrested them both."

The three men are in deportation proceedings.

The father and son were arrested under ICE's "Operation Predator," a national ICE initiative that focuses on arrests of suspected pedophiles, Internet predators, human traffickers, international sex tourists and other predatory criminals.

The gang member was arrested under ICE's "Operation Community Shield," an initiative focused on the public safety threat posed by transnational gangs.

The Mexican man's gang affiliation was documented by the Weld County court system and Greeley police, the news release said. Although he is a U.S. permanent resident, his criminal convictions make him eligible for deportation. He has a felony conviction for "menacing" and two misdemeanor convictions for child abuse and third-degree assault.

Garner said he's often asked how many Greeley gang members are illegal aliens. "The answer is zero. We normally keep the number pretty much at zero as far as illegal immigrants on our gang list. We go after them and get them out of the country."

Garner said Greeley Police regularly assist ICE on investigations.

"We share information with them on a fairly regular basis," he said. "Sometimes it leads to an arrest. Sometimes it's information they take but it doesn't result in an arrest right away."