U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Boston announced the arrest of a convicted child rapist from the Dominican Republic as part of its “Worst of the Worst” enforcement initiative.
According to ICE, 61-year-old Manuel Emilio Lora Troncoso, a Dominican national previously convicted in Massachusetts for multiple child sex offenses, was arrested on November 7. Court documents reveal that Troncoso was sentenced to eight to twelve years in state prison for two counts of rape of a child by force and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. Following his release, ICE officers detained him for immigration violations. The arrest was publicized under the “Worst of the Worst” program, which targets noncitizens convicted of severe violent crimes.
ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) reported over 2,700 arrests of noncitizens convicted of sexual offenses during fiscal year 2024. Approximately 73% of those apprehended had prior U.S. criminal sentences involving violence or abuse of minors. The “Worst of the Worst” initiative prioritizes offenders posing high risk to community safety.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics notes that in 2023, the average sentence length for offenders convicted of child sexual assault in the United States was 11.5 years. Coordination between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement has improved post-release monitoring and deportation processes for violent noncitizen offenders.
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., ICE operates under the Department of Homeland Security with a mission that includes enforcing immigration law, investigating cross-border crimes, and removing individuals who threaten public safety. The Boston Field Office oversees operations in New England and implements national enforcement programs such as “Operation Cross Check” and “Worst of the Worst.”
