Man convicted of child sex crime in KY detained for deportation
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Gerardo Perez Vazquez was convicted of two counts of attempted child sexual abuse.
- He served over a year in jail and was detained again for deportation proceedings.
- Federal and state officials coordinated to remove Perez Vazquez from U.S. custody.
A man who was in the U.S. illegally when he was convicted of child sex crimes has been detained for deportation proceedings, according to prosecutors in northeastern Kentucky.
Gerardo Perez Vazquez, 47, was found guilty in June of two counts of attempted child sexual abuse, according to court records. He was sentenced to 365 days in prison but given credit for 392 days of time served.
Perez Vazquez was detained after his conviction in partnership with Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“This case is exactly why President Trump has made border security and enforcement against criminal aliens a top national priority,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Johnathan Gay, who prosecuted Perez Vazquez, said in a news release Monday. “When we called, the Trump administration jumped into action to prevent this convicted criminal from harming our children.”
Perez Vazquez was convicted in the 19th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky, which covers Mason, Bracken and Fleming counties.
Perez Vazquez paid a 14-year-old girl for nude photos and sexual favors, according to court documents. He paid the girl more than $300 on multiple occasions.
The jury also found Perez Vazquez guilty of procuring or promoting a sexual performance of a minor by electronic means, but Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Schumacher determined there was not enough evidence to support the conviction and issued a judgment of acquittal notwithstanding the verdict, according to court records.
Perez Vazquez was also charged with human trafficking, but the jury found him not guilty of that charge.
Perez Vazquez will now face immediate deportation proceedings, the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office said.
“The message is clear: If you cross our borders and commit crimes against our children, you will be arrested, prosecuted and deported,” Gay said in the news release.
