WCPD 'Welcome Wagon' Takes Custody Of 2 International Fugitives At JFK

TARRYTOWN, NY — "This week, we'll rename the Warrant squad to the WCPD Welcome Wagon," officials said when announcing that two fugitives wanted in Westchester County are now in custody and facing justice.

Westchester County Police Department's Warrant-Fugitive Unit detectives were at JFK International Airport twice last week to specially "welcome" two international fugitives back to the U.S. Both suspects are accused of committing serious crimes in Westchester before fleeing the country to avoid arrest.

WCPD says that it coordinated extradition efforts with the U.S. Marshals and FBI agents who brought the suspects back to the U.S. Upon arrival at JFK, the suspects were turned over to the Warrant-Fugitive squad detectives, who took them to headquarters for booking and then to the Westchester County Jail.

In the most recent arrival, on Thursday, 25-year-old Juan Cuartos Bustos was returned to the U.S. from Colombia. He had been wanted since 2023, when he fled before being indicted on robbery, burglary, grand larceny and other charges. Police said that he is suspected of being a member of a South American theft group that targeted Asian American business owners through burglaries and home invasion robberies.

WCPD said the charges against Bustos were the result of an investigation by the Tarrytown Police Department, the White Plains Police Department, Westchester County police and other law enforcement partners.

SEE ALSO: Mexican National Extradited To Westchester To Face Child Rape Charges

In addition, 52-year-old Galo Herrera, a fugitive wanted on a 2008 sealed indictment charging him with first-degree rape and predatory sexual assault of a child, was also returned to the U.S. last week, from Mexico. In this case, the Mount Vernon Police Department investigated the initial complaint, leading to his indictment.

"We salute all the law enforcement agencies involved for their great work, from the departments that investigated these crimes initially, to the Mexican and Columbian police agencies that located them, to the federal agents that brought them back to this country," Public Safety Commissioner Terrance Raynor said. "These suspects tried to elude justice by fleeing, but now they face prosecution by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office."

About the Warrant-Fugitive Unit

The Westchester County Police Warrant-Fugitive Unit is tasked with locating and apprehending persons wanted on warrants issued by Westchester County Supreme Court, Westchester County Court and Westchester County Family Court. It also handles extraditions when a defendant is apprehended in another state and is wanted by Westchester County or any of its municipalities.

In 2024, the Unit made 231 arrests of suspects wanted on warrants, including for Attempted Murder, Assault 1st Degree and various sex crimes, robbery and weapons charges. The Unit executed warrants in virtually every municipality in Westchester, in every borough of New York City and throughout the metropolitan area. In addition, detectives also traveled to multiple states across the nation to return suspects to Westchester to face justice.