The Portsmouth Police Department issued a statement Sunday clarifying its coordination with federal immigration authorities in the July arrest of a man charged with child exploitation.
Portsmouth police arrested Josue Perez Gomez on July 11 with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations as part of a child exploitation investigation, according to the department’s statement posted on social media.
Following his arrest, Perez Gomez was held overnight at the Portsmouth Police Station for arraignment. On July 12 at 10:07 a.m., the department received a detainer from the Department of Homeland Security requesting notification to Immigration and Customs Enforcement prior to Perez Gomez’s release from custody, police said.
After posting $5,000 surety bail, Perez Gomez was escorted by Portsmouth officers to the station lobby. Video shows him exiting the building and being immediately apprehended outside the front doors by waiting ICE investigators, according to the police statement.
“While ICE was positioned outside and not involved in the in-station process, their presence and arrest were coordinated in advance with our department and HSI,” the statement said.
The department said it was responding to recent media reports about its handling of the arrest that “contain information that requires clarification.”
“The Portsmouth Police Department remains committed to working with our federal, state and local partners to ensure that individuals who exploit minors and vulnerable populations are held accountable at every level of the justice system,” the statement said.
