U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to move forward with the deportation of a Massachusetts high school teacher facing charges of multiple child rape. This decision follows the arrest of Patrick Akpore Nsumei, 54, and the filing of an immigration detainer with the Lowell Police Department on July 22.
Charges against Nsumei include aggravated rape of a child, rape of a child with force, and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. An immigration detainer is a notification request from federal authorities to local agencies to keep the individual in custody or notify ICE before release, ensuring they assume custody.
“ICE will assume custody pending his criminal proceedings with the state,” said an ICE spokesperson. “Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S. ICE is working diligently to remove these violent, dangerous offenders from our communities,” the spokesperson added.
Currently, Nsumei is held without bail at the Billerica House of Correction. Lowell District Court Judge John Coffey ruled during a July 31 hearing that he poses a threat to public safety, ordering detention for up to 120 days while the case progresses.
Prosecutor Sheehan McCarthy informed the court that the alleged victim reported the abuse on June 27 to the Lowell police. Reports indicate the abuse spanned from 2017 to 2021, with the prosecution stressing the defendant’s risk to the community.
Nsumei’s attorney, Thomas Mixon, challenged the allegations, highlighting a lack of physical evidence. According to The Boston Herald, Nsumei worked as a science teacher in Boston, but his name no longer appears on the school’s staff webpage. The victim is not associated with Boston Public Schools.
The district has not clarified if Nsumei remains employed or is on leave. The charges carry a potential life sentence, with parole eligibility after 10 years. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for September 1.
This case aligns with ICE’s recent focus on deportations linked to serious criminal allegations, framing such actions as public safety efforts.
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