VILLAGE OF PERRY, N.Y. (WKBW) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monji Jelassi, a 64-year-old citizen of Tunisia, was arrested after he allegedly tried to "purchase" a 5-year-old child in Perry.
According to CBP, a female complainant said that Jelassi asked to “purchase” her 5-year-old child and then attempted to entice the child into his vehicle. The Perry Police Department arrested and detained Jelassi on December 2 in response to the alleged incident.
CBP said on December 6 Buffalo Sector Border Patrol agents confirmed Jelassi’s identity and discovered he was in the U.S. on an expired visa. He was remanded to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is currently being held at the Federal Detention Facility in Batavia awaiting a deportation hearing for charges.
“Removing this individual is a matter of public safety and aligns with the interests of our law enforcement partners to remove predators and other dangerous people from our communities."
