A prominent Baltimore-area congressman spoke out Wednesday afternoon about a FOX45 News investigation showing Baltimore County Circuit Court judges often hand down lenient sentences in criminal child sex cases involving illegal immigrants.
Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume gave a strong rebuke against those accused of child sex crimes.
I am appalled and angered that any child might be subjected to sexual abuse,” Rep. Mfume said. “I have no sympathy for persons who are convicted of such crimes – whether they are undocumented migrants or American citizens.”
FOX45 News found in a months-long investigation that Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger’s office filed charges in 99 child sex crime cases between January 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024.
Additional immigration records showed nearly 10% of the county’s child sex crime cases, involving nine defendants over the 17-month review period, involved illegal immigrants from Central American countries.
Nearly all the illegal immigrants identified violated parole when they were arrested for child sex crimes in Maryland.
When comparing the nine child sex crime cases involving illegal immigrants to allegations involving African American defendants, several cases of the latter cases resulted in harsher sentences.
In three similar cases to illegal immigrants, Black defendants received prison time of four years or more. Court records showed that two out of 11 closed cases involving Black defendants resulted in sentences of 12 years or more in prison.
Out of the nine child sex crime cases involving illegal immigrants, only one resulted in the maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, with all but seven years suspended.
Meanwhile, Rep. Mfume urged the Baltimore County judiciary to prioritize public safety in sentencing decisions.
It is important that judges make every effort to prioritize public safety when sentencing,” Rep. Mfume said.
“Particularly when those charged have prior child sexual abuse arrests,” Rep. Mfume added.
Rep. Mfume recently took the lead in Congress to address protecting witnesses by introducing the Witness Security and Protection Grant Program Act of 2023. The bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting and supporting witnesses to serious crimes who are willing to come forward and testify in criminal trials.
The longtime Baltimore legislator’s initiative received the endorsement of several advocacy groups focused on preventing violent crime, including the National Children’s Alliance and the National Center for Victims of Crime.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s ERO, or Enforcement and Removal Operations, spokesperson for Baltimore spoke to FOX45 News regarding this story.
“Enforcement and Removal Operations is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that protects the homeland through the arrests and removal of those who undermine the safety of our communities and the integrity of our immigration laws,” ERO spokesperson James Covington said. “Entering the United States without authorization is a violation of federal law, and those who do so may be subject to administrative arrest, and in some cases, criminal prosecution.”
Pew Research found in 2021 that nearly 10.5 million, or roughly 3%, represent approximately 3% of the total U.S. population.
Originally Published: July 18, 2024 at 3:24 p.m.