Feds target Aurora child sex offender in citizenship case

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The U.S. government is attempting to strip a 49-year old Aurora resident of his citizenship and deport him because the man sexually abused a 12-year-old girl prior to becoming an American.

Eleazar Corral Valenzuela, a native of Mexico, was naturalized on June 15, 2000. Prior to applying to naturalize, federal agents say he sexually abused the minor.

In November 2000, after he had naturalized, Corral pleaded guilty in an Illinois court to aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony. He is still registered as a sex offender - a predator according to police records-and resides in Aurora.

The suburban man, also known as Eleazar Corral, is one of five people who unlawfully procured their U.S. citizenship by concealing sexual abuse of minor victims during the naturalization process, according to court records. The civil complaints were filed in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of Florida, the Northern District of Texas (two cases), and the Southern District of Texas.

"Committing fraud in any immigration matter undermines the integrity of our immigration system, and is a betrayal of the American people's generosity," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a Department of Justice statement.

"It is especially appalling when it also involves the sexual abuse of children. The Department of Justice has a duty to prosecute these crimes vigorously, particularly so for individuals who commit fraud in the naturalization process" Sessions said. "This Department will continue to fight to denaturalize immigration fraudsters and to protect the American people from sex offenders."

According to a statement late Tuesday, the cases were referred to the Department of Justice by the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection with investigative support from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

"I commend the DHS personnel working diligently to remove dangerous criminals from our streets," said Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Elaine Duke in a statement. "Those who unlawfully procured citizenship by concealing crimes - especially sexual abuse of minors - should have their citizenship revoked."

According to federal authorities, under the Immigration and Nationality Act the citizenship of a naturalized U.S. citizen may be revoked, and his or her certificate of naturalization canceled, if naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.

The five defendants committed crimes of sexual abuse of minor victims prior to naturalizing. In addition to Eleazar Corral, federal agents are attempting to denaturalize:

Jorge Luis Alvarado

Jorge Luis Alvarado, 56, a native of Mexico, naturalized on March 9, 2000. Shortly before filing his naturalization application, Alvarado made unlawful sexual contact with a sixteen-year-old child. In March 2007, he pleaded guilty in Texas state court to committing indecency with a child by sexual contact, a second-degree felony. Alvarado was ordered to community supervision and to register as a sex offender. He has been residing in southern Texas. United States of America v. Jorge Luis Alvarado (S.D. Tex.).

Alberto Mario Beleno

Alberto Mario Beleno, 64, a native of Colombia, naturalized on Feb. 26, 2001. Before Beleno naturalized as a U.S. citizen, he committed lewd and lascivious acts on a six-year-old child. In 2001, less than three months after he naturalized, Beleno was arrested and ultimately pleaded guilty/nolo-contendere in Florida state court to committing felony lewd and lascivious exhibition and felony lewd and lascivious molestation on a minor in 1993 and 1994. Beleno was ordered to register as a sex offender for his conduct. His last known residence in the United States is in Miami, Florida. United States of America v. Alberto Mario Beleno.

Moises Herrera-Gonzalez

Moises Herrera-Gonzalez, 55, a native of Mexico, naturalized on Sept. 25, 1999. On Jan. 1, 1996, before he filed his naturalization application, Herrera-Gonzalez sexually assaulted and injured a six-year-old child. He filed his naturalization application in September 1996, nine months after the sexual assault. On July 8, 2002, after he naturalized, Herrera-Gonzalez pleaded guilty in Texas state court to committing bodily injury to a child, a third-degree felony. He was sentenced to five years in prison. He has been residing in Arlington, Texas. United States of America v. Moises Herrera-Gonzalez.

Emmanuel Olugbenga Omopariola

Emmanuel Olugbenga Omopariola, 60, a native of Nigeria, naturalized on July 1, 2004. Before he filed his naturalization application in May 2003, Omopariola made unlawful sexual contact with a seven-year-old child. In 2015, after he naturalized, Omopariola pleaded guilty in Texas state court to Indecency with a Child - Sexual Contact, a second-degree felony. He was ordered to five years of community supervision and placed on the sex offender registry. He has been residing in Grand Prairie, Texas. United States of America v. Emmanuel Olugbenga Omopariola.