UMVA has learned that a 59-year-old Salvadoran national, accused of raping a 16-year-old girl on Long Island, is being held in local custody, but federal immigration officials are urging New York authorities not to release him.
The suspect, Aureliano Antonio Melendez Reyes, is charged with rape, sexual abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child. According to prosecutors, the alleged assault occurred on June 6 as the girl was walking home in Huntington, and Reyes repeatedly approached her, asked for her phone number, and then forced her into an alley and sexually assaulted her.
The girl was eventually able to break free and call 911 while running from Reyes, who was allegedly chasing her. Responding officers took Reyes into custody, and Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney stated that the allegations in this case are deeply disturbing and that his office will continue to vigorously prosecute defendants who pose serious threats to the community's safety, especially children.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Reyes entered the United States illegally and was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge in 1998. DHS acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis stated that this sexual predator never should have been in the country and able to prey on this innocent girl.
DHS is calling on Governor Kathy Hochul and other New York officials to commit to not releasing Reyes from jail and to turn him over to ICE if he is released from local custody. The agency also warned that New York jurisdictions have released nearly 7,000 criminal illegal immigrants since January 20, 2025, many of whom were accused of violent crimes.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that more than 7,000 individuals currently in New York custody are the subject of active federal immigration detainers. DHS is urging New York officials to take action and ensure public safety by not releasing criminals from jail into New York communities.
