Suspects charged in rape of 12-year-old girl were in country illegally

WASHINGTON - Federal authorities have confirmed to FOX 5 that they are seeking to detain two illegal immigrants that are under arrest in Montgomery County with the rape and kidnapping of a 12-year-old girl.

Montgomery County police said the two men contacted the victim without her parents' knowledge at her home in Washington D.C., and then took her to a home in Wheaton, Md., where the alleged sexual assault took place.

Enrique Carbajal, 24, and Victor Tome, 19, are being held in jail in Montgomery County on $500,000 bond each.

Now, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said both men are in the country illegally from Honduras and the agency has now placed a detainer on both men.

An ICE spokesperson said what that means is if Carbajal and Tome happened to be released or are convicted and serve their full sentence, they would have to be turned over to the federal government for possible deportation.

However, local law enforcement officials nationwide have complained that ICE is not sharing information about what it does with detained illegal immigrant criminals.

Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said that is not helped when local governments create "sanctuary friendly" laws or are not tough about discouraging illegal immigration.

"There is virtually no communication," he said. "What happened here was a tragedy that could have been avoided, but it is what happens when you allow illegal immigration to go on, to encourage it, promote it, reward it, and Montgomery County has been part of the problem."

Montgomery County police said they do not believe Carbajal and Tome sexually assaulted any other individuals. However, both Alexandria police and Arlington County police are also conducting their own investigation of the two suspects and more charges could be possible in this case.