Two illegal aliens accused of aiding and abetting an illegal alien who allegedly murdered a Newman, California, police officer both had prior run-ins with the law.
Gustavo Perez Arriaga, an illegal alien living in California, was arrested on Friday after he allegedly shot and killed Singh — a legal immigrant from Fiji — during a routine traffic stop the day after Christmas.
Over his police radio, Singh called out “shots fired” and as police arrived at the scene of the traffic stop, they found the officer with a gunshot wound. Singh was transported to a nearby hospital where he later died.
Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson says California’s “sanctuary state” law “provided sanctuary” for the accused killer, Perez Arriaga. Police said Perez Arriaga was a “known” gang member who plotted to flee across the U.S.-Mexico border after the killing. The illegal alien allegedly crossed into the U.S. through Arizona a couple of years ago.
Also arrested by police — seven individuals have been arrested for allegedly helping Perez Arriaga evade arrest — are illegal aliens 25-year-old Adrian Virgen and 27-year-old Erik Razo Quiroz, Breitbart News reported.
Adrian Virgen Mendoza (left), Gustavo Perez Arriaga (center), and Erik Razo Quiroz (right) are illegal aliens who were shielded from arrest and deportation by California’s sanctuary state law. Though Razo Quiroz has been deported twice out of the U.S., he has managed to live in California, undetected, for an unknown period of time. (SCSD)
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency confirmed to Breitbart News on Sunday that Perez Arriaga, the main suspect in the killing, was never properly turned over to federal immigration authorities despite his two previous arrests for drunk driving.
“We remain deeply concerned that California’s sanctuary laws continue to undermine public safety and cause preventable crimes by restricting law enforcement cooperation and allowing public safety threats back into the community to re-offend,” an ICE spokesperson told Breitbart News in a statement.
Razo Quiroz, accused of lying to authorities and helping Perez Arriaga evade arrest, was previously deported twice out of the U.S. to Mexico. His most recent deportation was in March 2012. According to ICE officials, Razo Quiroz is a convicted felon.
Similarly, illegal alien Virgen Mendoza, also accused of aiding Perez Arriaga, was previously convicted for a misdemeanor in California but was not turned over to ICE for deportation to Mexico following the conviction due to the state’s sanctuary law.
The other five individuals who have been arrested in aiding Perez Arriaga evade arrest of the killing include:
- Bernabe Madrigal Castaneda
- Erasmo Villegas
- Maria Luisa Moreno
- Conrado Virgen
- Ana Leyde Cervantes
A day before the killing, Singh had spent Christmas with his wife and newborn baby boy. Singh leaves behind his wife, Anamika, and their five-month-old son. The Stanislaus County Sheriff Department has set up a memorial fund for the Singh family where readers can donate here.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.
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