DHS Cyber Crimes Tip Stops Convicted Child Predator from Leaving U.S.

• A convicted child sex offender was arrested at a Boston airport while trying to flee the U.S.
• A tip from DHS’s Cyber Crimes Center flagged him as a travel risk
• ICE, HSI, the FBI, and ATF coordinated the arrest; removal proceedings are underway

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cyber Crimes Center (DHS C3) tip has helped intercept a known child predator before he could leave the country, once again proving that America’s cyber guardians are watching, alert, and ready. 

Rafael Romeiro Rodriguez, 31, a Colombian national and convicted child sex offender, was arrested on May 29, 2025, while attempting to board an international flight out of Boston.

DHS confirmed Rodriguez’s arrest as part of its ongoing mission to identify child predators and prevent child sex tourism, which is central to the work of the Cyber Crimes Center.

He was previously convicted in 2014 of sexual assault of a child under 14 years of age. He was living in the U.S. unlawfully. He was taken into custody without incident and now faces removal proceedings. 

The arrest followed a tip received by the DHS Cyber Crimes Center (C3), which is led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). 

Digital tips from the public have become a powerful tool in stopping threats before they unfold. Anyone can help by reporting suspicious online activity through official channels.

Commending the work, Deputy Assistant Director for the DHS Cyber Crimes Center Mike Prado said, “Thanks to the targeted intelligence work of the Cyber Crimes Center, a convicted child sex offender will no longer pose a threat to the community.” 

Using targeted intelligence, DHS’s Cyber Crimes Center flagged Rodriguez as a travel risk. This case underscores the effectiveness of proactive intelligence gathering by the Cyber Crimes Center and robust interagency cooperation (DHS C3, ICE ERO, HSI, FBI, ATF) in protecting vulnerable populations.

“This arrest is a direct result of the critical coordination between ERO Boston, the DHS Cyber Crimes Center, and our federal and law enforcement partners,” said Patricia H. Hyde, acting Field Office Director for ERO Boston. 

“This case underscores exactly why we must remain vigilant and united across government agencies to find, arrest, and remove dangerous predators who pose a threat to our children and our neighborhoods.”