U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 26-year-old Salvadoran national Nelson Vladimir Amaya-Benitez in Gaithersburg on May 12, 2025, the agency announced yesterday. ICE described Amaya-Benitez as "a validated MS-13 gang member." ICE Baltimore acting Field Officer Director Nikita Baker blasted Montgomery County officials for not honoring four detainers it placed on Amaya-Benitez at times he was in custody since 2017. But what's equally-astonishing, is the list of crimes he committed in Montgomery County between 2017 and 2024, and the favorable treatment he received from Montgomery County judges and elected officials, who allowed him to continue preying on the community until his arrest by ICE on Monday.
Amaya-Benitez already had a criminal record in Texas, before he even arrived in Montgomery County in 2017. Yet, knowing this, and that Amaya-Benitez was in the country illegally, MoCo judges gave him incredibly light sentences. In 2017, he was convicted of armed robbery in Montgomery County, but received a sentence of only 18 months. In 2023, he was convicted of theft in Montgomery County. Despite his criminal record now including the previous armed robbery, a Montgomery County judge suspended his entire sentence(!!). Less than a month later, Amaya-Benitez was convicted of motor vehicle theft, and rogue and vagabond (the act of breaking into - or testing door handles of - cars with the intent to steal items inside). He then received a jail sentence of only 18 months.
Three days later, Amaya-Benitez was convicted of 2nd-degree malicious burning in Montgomery County. The judge in that case also sentenced him to 18 months. ICE lodged a detainer on him with the Montgomery County Detention Center on October 11, 2023, which was not honored by Montgomery County. The agency reported yesterday that Montgomery County not only prevented ICE from deporting Amaya-Benitez, but released him as a free man "on an unknown date."
With Montgomery County sending a clear message of minimal consequences for criminal activity, and protection from deportation, Amaya-Benitez was arrested and charged with attempted motor vehicle theft in Montgomery County on September 29, 2024. He was convicted of that crime on April 4 of this year. What was his sentence from the Montgomery County judge, with the above rap sheet in front of the court? Hold on to your seat, folks: 7 months and 19 days.
If your mind isn't blown yet, Amaya-Benitez never even served that light sentence. According to ICE, Montgomery County released him into the community again on April 18, 2025, only 14 days after his conviction.
Montgomery County officials were clearly delighted to host Amaya-Benitez, and to allow him to prey on the residents who pay their salaries. His case underscores yet again their soft-on-crime, anti-police, pro-criminal policies, which have helped sustain a violent crime wave since 2020. On this matter alone, no Montgomery County elected official should be returned to office in 2026.
After eight years of committing crimes against Montgomery County residents with the help of Montgomery County officials, Amaya-Benitez is now in ICE custody. Perhaps this "Maryland Man" will receive a last-minute assist to remain in the country from Senator Chris Van Hollen or a federal judge, to ensure he can once again return to Montgomery County and continue his good work.
While ICE official Baker did not comment on the ridiculously-light sentences Amaya-Benitez received from Montgomery County judges, Baker did slam County officials for repeatedly refusing to honor the agency's detainers on him. "ICE lodged five detainers — four of which were not honored — allowing him to return to the streets and reoffend time and time again," Baker said in a statement Thursday. "This pattern is unacceptable. We strongly encourage our local law enforcement partners to honor our detainers to ensure that dangerous individuals like this are held accountable and removed from our communities to protect the law-abiding residents we serve."
Photo courtesy ICE
23 comments:
He’s a “person of color” so gets favorable treatment from the bleeding heat politicians and judges. Disgusting.
Outrageous, deserving of national attention. Thanks. Robert.
MD doesn't enter the national conversation that often but now is and for all the wrong reasons. MS-13 and every other kind of illegal gang banger is active, alive and thriving in the Free state. Not the best image of that moniker either is it? Montgomery Village is MS-13 HQ. Garcia is the Dem poster boy. Why? Chris Van Hollen is out of his mind. Garcia is a monster and everyone knows it and thanks to Trump Admin, will never be coming back. When will Van Hollen apologize? Don't wait up. Every MD voter that pulled the lever for any of these candidates needs to really look deeply inward. The Far Left is way out of touch with the mainstream and the Dem party has absolutely and completely lost its way. Illegals are fine even ones who commit heinous crime while decent and law abiding and legal citizens get short shrift. Good job MD
/MoCo voters.
Van Hollen has doubled down on his "Maryland Man" according to his last email update.
Meanwhile in reality-ville where illegal gang members prey on citizens without consequences and MD liberals make CCP's as difficult as possible for those who actually follow the law. The voters that accept this governance are dumb as stones.
This is a bit like the Biden cognitive decline cover up. We're just not that stupid ok? MoCo is a sanctuary county and MD is a sanctuary state despite countless statements by officials to the contrary. It's just not true and everyone knows it. It is fascinating though. Why on earth are Democratic officials, basically every one in MD and certainly the county, supporting these people and making them out to be innocent victims? They are criminals from multiple perspectives and many extremely violent and dangerous to the public. These are the folks we elected to protect us? Well, they aren't. Get em out. This is insane.
Turn on the news. Let's not forget that VA, while kicking MD butt in many ways, as Robert has documented here, isn't completely immune to stupid. Fairfax Co is sanctuary HQ of VA. Similar case to this one going on there right now.
Sanctuary state and county. If you voted democrat, then you either directly or indirectly support this. This is not new. This is why manybhave been complaining about for years. These are only the crimes he was caught for. People like this have done other things.
The MoCo SAO is preoccupied with more important issues:
https://www.mymcmedia.org/expungement-clinic-offers-second-chance/
Arlington County is doomed as well the council voting to shield illegal felons from ICE.
12:36 - Yep. Wes Moore full throated behind this one. These are the bad guys don't these fools understand that? We didn't vote for them to support the bad guys. They are supposed to advocate for justice not endorse lawlessness. Totally bizarro world.
If they are convicted or charged with a hate crime they magically become "white'.
You should publish the names of the judges.
Montgomery County Leadership is like saying Military Intelligence.
Yes, then turn the perp over to a group of us known as a crime fighting posse.
"...even ones who commit heinous crime while decent and law abiding and legal citizens get short shrift." trump is a twice impeached and convicted felon on 34 counts.
10:52 has chronic TDS such that any crimes are compared to Bragg's charges that would have never survived with an impartial judge. There's a line that liberals used to love but have selective memories these days: "no one is above the law"
Good ol Nancy Reagan led the country and you pre-MAGA's never blinked an eye. She believed whole-heartedly in witchcraft while doing it.
It's open mike day in the nursing home. AGAIN!
City of Alexandria just voted non-cooperation with ICE regarding illegal felons. For triggered liberals with whom English is a barrier because of MCPS, these are criminals convicted of felonies that happen to be illegal, not simply here illegally.
8:11 is a defender of the realm in what's left of their own mind.
Crime - no problem! Illegals on taxpayer entitlements - bring it on! Legal weed everywhere - Party all day!
If only MCPS had taught them to think for themselves instead of the group think that has been the syllabus for the past several years. When you graduate HS, get a job in the trades for a real education because they've failed you so far.
'Youngsters' such as 8:11 are 'dropping the ball' in forging ahead with renewed American successes across the board. We old codgers are needed to backfill for their failures, particularly in liberal strongholds. We will overcome.
Why do the democrats worship and move boulders to keep illegal criminals out of jail and still in the county? We need new management this county has gone to shit.
More worshipping of illegals and criminals by the Democrats.
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