Guatemalan Man Taken Into Custody By ICE In Framingham

FRAMINGHAM, MA — A Guatemalan man, who was previously convicted on assault and battery of a family members charges, was recently taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in Framingham.

ICE officials said they apprehended Wilber Chinic-Villagran, 27, on Jan. 26. Officials said Chinic is here illegally and was previously convicted on three counts of assault and battery on a family member, intimidation and violation of the Abuse Prevention Act.

U.S. Border Patrol arrested Chinic on July 28, 2020, after he illegally entered the United States near Laredo, Texas. USBP voluntarily returned Chinic to Mexico, officials said, but he returned to the U.S. on an unknown date.

ICE filed immigration detainers with the Middlesex County House of Corrections on Feb. 7, 2023 and Sept. 22, 2024, but Chinic was released. The organization may file detainers with local law enforcement, but a 2017 ruling states that "Massachusetts law provides no authority for Massachusetts court officers to arrest and hold an individual solely on the basis of a Federal civil immigration detainer, beyond the time that the individual would otherwise be entitled to be released from State custody."

The Framingham District Court convicted Chinic on Oct. 23, 2024, on two counts of assault and battery on a family or household member, intimidation and violation of the Abuse Prevention Act. He was convicted on another count of assault and battery that December.

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, but only served four months, according to ICE.