Federal authorities apprehended a man in Hartford on drug and prostitution charges, weeks after he was released from state custody despite an ICE detainer.
A Mexican national accused of multiple drug and prostitution-related crimes was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Hartford on September 10, weeks after being released from state custody.
The arrest follows the Connecticut Department of Corrections’ refusal to honor a detainer lodged by federal immigration officials.
Mauricio Castiano-Rojas, 43, was initially taken into custody by the Hartford Police Department on August 13, 2025. He was charged with several offenses, including promoting prostitution, operating a drug factory, and possession with intent to distribute narcotics. These charges are currently pending.
On August 17, ICE Boston lodged an immigration detainer with the Connecticut Department of Corrections, requesting that Castiano-Rojas remain in custody so ICE could take him into custody. However, the department refused to honor the request and released him without notifying ICE.
“Mauricio Castiano-Rojas not only broke U.S. immigration law, he also stands accused of a myriad of serious crimes that threaten the safety of our Connecticut neighborhoods,” said David Wesling, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director for ICE Boston. “Castiano-Rojas represents a significant threat to the sanctity of our communities. ICE Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from New England.”
According to ICE, Castiano-Rojas was previously apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol after illegally entering the United States on September 15, 2007, and was subsequently returned to Mexico. He is believed to have re-entered the country at an unknown later date and location.
Castiano-Rojas will remain in ICE custody as he awaits removal proceedings.
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