Unlawful immigrant snared in Eaton County child sex predator operation
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – Authorities arrested a Mexican national who was in the country unlawfully and charged in an October 2023 'child predator operation.'
Severiano Marcos Maximo, 42, was arrested on October 25, 2023, on one count each of using a computer to communicate with another to commit a crime, attempted criminal sexual conduct 3 and accosting a child for immoral purposes.
A spokesman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Detroit Field Office tells 6 News in an email that Maximo had entered the country unlawfully on at least two occasions.
"Severiano Marcos Maximo was an unlawfully present citizen of Mexico, who was removed to Mexico July 16, 2024. U.S. Border Patrol encountered Marcos Maximo near Douglas, Arizona June 5, 2004, and processed him as a voluntary return. He was returned to Mexico that same day. At an unknown date and location, he re-entered the United States without parole or inspection by an immigration official," the ICE official wrote in an email.
Maximo was arraigned October 26, 2023 in Eaton County 56-A District Court. A $10,000 cash or surety bond was ordered, but Maximo was not able to post it.
On November 7, 2023, Maximo waived his preliminary examination, and his case was sent to the Eaton County Circuit. On February 16, 2024, Maximo agreed to plead guilty to all three felony charges On March 28, 2024, he was sentenced to 300 days in jail, with credit for 155 days served, five years' probation and mandatory registration on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry.
Transcripts of both the plea hearing and the sentencing hearing reveal Maximo was warned by the judge the guilty plea could impact Maximo's immigration status.
However, ICE confirms the same day Maximo was arraigned, an immigration detainer was issued.
"On Oct. 26, 2023, ERO Grand Rapids lodged an immigration detainer with the Eaton County Jail in Charlotte, Michigan where Marcos Maximo was being held on local charges. He was convicted in the Eaton County 56th Circuit Court March 28, 2024, on sex crime charges and sentenced to 300 days. Upon his release, ERO Grand Rapids took custody of him July 1, 2024, and issued him an order of removal. He was removed to Mexico, July 16, 2024," the official wrote in an email to 6 News.
Maximo is the second man 6 News has identified who was in the country unlawfully at the time they were arrested and charged with crimes stemming from an ongoing series of "child sex predator operations" conducted by a multi-agency law enforcement task force. The task force includes members from the Lansing Police Department, the Eaton County Sheriff's Department and the Michigan State Police.
The second man who was in the country unlawfully was Rafique Malik Muhammad, 51. He entered the country legally but his permission to be in the country expired in 2016, a spokesperson for the ICE Detroit Field Office tells 6 News. Muhammad was released on a personal recognizant bond from Eaton County custody November 6, 2023. He was in jail on one felony charge of accosting a child for immoral purposes . Those charges arose from a task force investigation. Federal immigration authorities immediately began removal proceedings against him.
Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd tells 6 News his office opposed the federal takeover of Muhammad's case. Muhammad was removed from the country and returned to his home country of Pakistan, January 31, 2024.
Since the task force began operations in November of 2022, 46 men have been arrested in at least 10 separate online operations. One case was dismissed. Eaton County prosecutors have charged 29 men stemming from the operations, while Ingham County prosecutors have charged 17 men on charges resulting from the operations. In all, 19 men have already been adjudicated guilty and sentenced.
