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EXCLUSIVE: Two individuals detained in connection with a brutal home invasion in North Carolina have been identified as undocumented immigrants from Mexico. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed to Fox News Digital that these men allegedly subjected a male victim to horrific acts of violence, including sodomy, physical assault, and the removal of his fingernails.
The chilling incident unfolded last Wednesday night in a tranquil neighborhood of Greenville. According to Pitt County authorities, the attack involved at least three male assailants who orchestrated the overnight ambush.
The DHS, referencing a report from the local news outlet Reflector, stated, “Two dangerous criminals forcibly entered the victim’s residence, wielding a sharp weapon, and detained him against his will.”
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin commented on the appalling nature of the crime, describing it as “a real-life nightmare.” She emphasized the severity of the acts, saying, “Burglarizing, kidnapping, assaulting, sodomizing, and ripping off the fingernails of an innocent victim are extremely wicked and heinous.”
Captured in a stark image, the sun rises over Greenville, North Carolina, on July 26, 2022. The photo depicts the peaceful setting overshadowed by the violent act, as authorities arrested illegal immigrants Zaid Mayen and Jonathan David Garcia-Lario in connection with the home invasion.
The two undocumented immigrants were identified as 21-year-old Chapel Hill resident Zaid Mayen and 20-year-old Jonathan David Garcia-Larios, a homeless man who was previously deported from the U.S. in 2024. They were arrested last Friday with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement.
Authorities noted that the suspects entered the U.S. at an unknown date and time.
DHS added that the “two sexual perverts and violent thugs” unleashed a series of horrific attacks despite having no known criminal record in the U.S.
Second mugshot of Zaid Mayen, who was arrested in a reported home invasion last week in North Carolina. (Pitt County Sheriff)
“Zaid Mayen-Esteban and Jonathan David Garcia-Larios should have never been in this country. Prior to this heinous act, these illegal aliens had no criminal record in the U.S,” McLaughlin said.
“Under Secretary Noem’s leadership we are not waiting for illegal aliens to commit crimes before we target them for arrest and removal. We pray for the continued recovery of this innocent victim.”
The unnamed victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries and “thankfully survived,” DHS said.
The agency added that federal law enforcement is “protecting American communities every day from another senseless tragedy like this taking place in another town, to another family.”
Authorities arrested John Carlos Calderon as the third suspect tied to the violent home invasion in North Carolina. (Pitt County Sheriff)
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) also issued arrest detainers for the two illegal immigrants, instructing local authorities to extend their custody, allowing federal agents to assume control.
The third suspect arrested was identified as 22-year-old John Carlos Calderon, whose immigration status is still under investigation, local authorities said.
All three suspects face the same first-degree felony charges, including forcible sexual assault, kidnapping, burglary, and the use of a deadly weapon with intent to kill causing serious injury.
Garcia-Larios remains held without bond at the Pitt County Detention Center, while Mayen was booked into the Orange County Detention Center, also without bond.
Calderon, who was arrested Monday, is being held without bond at the Pitt County Detention Center alongside Garcia-Larios.
Federal authorities emphasized that victims of “illegal alien crime” may receive support from the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office by contacting 1-855-488-6423.