U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued a detainer to Montana authorities, urging them not to release an undocumented immigrant from jail. The individual in question is accused of assaulting his deceased girlfriend’s daughter.
Wualter Jesus Travieso Soto, a 29-year-old who allegedly entered the U.S. illegally in 2023 and was subsequently released, faces serious charges in Flathead County. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), he is accused of engaging in sexual intercourse without consent with a minor under the age of 16.
The investigation into Soto began in May 2025. It was initiated by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office after the sister of Soto’s deceased girlfriend came forward. She informed authorities that Soto had taken custody of her sister’s children following their mother’s tragic car accident in 2024.
Facing felony charges, Soto, who hails from Venezuela, is currently detained in Flathead County jail. His bail is set at $200,000. The charges involve allegations of non-consensual sexual acts with a child, as reported by ICE.
The sister of Soto’s late girlfriend contested his guardianship of the children after she reportedly found disturbing images and videos. These materials allegedly depicted Soto engaging in inappropriate and romantic behavior with her eldest niece, as detailed by the Daily Inter Lake.
After the children’s aunt secured guardianship, the girl told investigators Soto had raped her multiple times and, in one alleged incident, choked her, according to DHS.
Soto was arrested Feb. 1 and remains jailed on $200,000 bail, authorities said.
ICE lodged a detainer for the Montana suspect. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“This monster repeatedly raped the child of his dead girlfriend,” DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement Thursday.
“He would not be in this country in the first place if it weren’t for the Biden Administration’s disastrous catch and release policies that allowed him into our country. ICE is asking officials in Montana to turn this perverted criminal over to ICE custody so that we can get him off our streets and out of our country. With cooperation from our local partners, we will ensure this predator NEVER harms another innocent child.”
ICE agents and other federal law enforcement officials attend a pre-enforcement meeting in Chicago, Illinois, on Jan. 26, 2025. (Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg)
DHS said in a post on X that ICE, with cooperation from Montana authorities, “will ensure this predator NEVER harms another innocent child.”
Records reviewed by Fox News Digital also showed he sought legal guardianship of at least one of the children in court following his girlfriend’s death in the car accident in 2024.
He pleaded not guilty before Judge Danni Coffman at his April 9 arraignment. Soto remains in the county jail, held on an immigration detainer and $200,000 bail. His next court date is Aug. 3.
<!–>
–>