AN IRISHMAN dubbed 'a threat' to the residents of Massachusetts in the United States has been deported.
Hughie Antony O'Donoghue, who had overstayed his visa, was removed by Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers in Boston last week.
ERO Boston detained O'Donoghue after he was convicted of larceny, conspiracy and home improvement fraud at a Massachusetts court in December 2023.
While O'Donoghue was in custody, officials learnt of four active warrants for him in Ireland for assault causing harm, failing to appear, careless driving and a summary offense.
Deportation officers from ERO Boston removed him from the US on January 17 and turned him over to authorities in Ireland.
"Not only was Hughie O'Donoghue wanted by Irish authorities on four active arrest warrants — he also has an extensive history of violent crimes," said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons.
"O'Donoghue represented a threat to the residents of our Massachusetts communities, and ERO Boston was not going to let him evade justice."
Arrest
O’Donoghue entered the US in August 2021 at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey with a visa waiver but overstayed his admission.
On October 31, 2023, he and another man were arrested by officers from Maynard Police Department and charged with larceny over $1,200 from a victim 60 or older, conspiracy and being an unlicensed home improvement contractor.
The department said the arrests were linked to a possible home improvement scam in which people pretended to be home repair contractors.
The fake contractors would charge residents for home repairs and continue to charge them larger amounts of money without completing the work or being licensed to do so.
O'Donoghue and the second man were arraigned in Concord District Court and each held on $15,000 bail as well as being required to surrender their passports and wear GPS monitors.
Sentence
ERO Boston lodged an immigration detainer against O'Donoghue in November.
The following month, Concord District Court convicted O'Donoghue of larceny, conspiracy and home improvement fraud.
He was sentenced to a one-year suspended sentence, three years of probation and release upon paying $30,000 restitution.
However, upon release, Middlesex County Sheriff's Office transferred O'Donoghue to the custody of ERO Boston.
He was served with an administrative order charging removability as a non-citizen who stayed longer than permitted.
"We cannot allow New England to become a safe haven for the world's criminals," added Mr Lyons.
