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ICE arrests murder fugitive from Brazil who was living on Cape Cod — Massachusetts had already caught him and let him go on PROBATION

Monday, April 20, 2026•
4 min read
MDN Staff
•
ICE arrests murder fugitive from Brazil who was living on Cape Cod — Massachusetts had already caught him and let him go on PROBATION

Altieris Chaves Paiva is one of five foreign nationals wanted for homicide arrested by ICE Boston in a single month

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FALMOUTH — A Brazilian national wanted for murder in his home country was living freely on Cape Cod — even after Massachusetts police caught him and let him walk on probation.
Altieris Chaves Paiva was arrested by ICE Fugitive Operations on April 5 near Falmouth, thanks to a tip, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He is the subject of an Interpol Red Notice for homicide in Brazil and entered the United States illegally during the Biden administration.
But here's the part that should keep people up at night: Massachusetts already had him.
Oak Bluffs police — that's Martha's Vineyard — arrested Chaves Paiva in 2024 for drunk driving, negligent driving, and another traffic offense. He pleaded guilty to only negligent driving, was given probation, and continued to live freely in the community. A man wanted for homicide in another country, and the system processed him like a fender bender.
No one flagged the Interpol notice. No one called ICE. He walked out and went back to his life on Cape Cod.

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One of five — in a single month

Chaves Paiva wasn't even ICE Boston's only murder fugitive that month. He's one of five foreign nationals wanted for homicide arrested by ICE Boston in the span of a few weeks:
  • Kele Cristian Alves-Pereira, a Brazilian national wanted for murder, arrested March 13 in Everett. He has a "777" neck tattoo and a teardrop tattoo beneath his eye.
  • Magno Jose Dos Santos, a Brazilian national wanted for homicide and attempted homicide, arrested March 22 in Worcester.
  • Danny Granados-Garcia, an El Salvadoran national wanted for aggravated homicide and alleged membership in a terrorist organization, arrested March 10 in Waterbury, Connecticut.
  • Bryan Rafael Gomez, a Dominican national wanted for homicide under an Interpol Red Notice, arrested April 4 in Worcester.
All entered the country illegally. All were living in New England communities. Massachusetts has 13 sanctuary counties and 12 sanctuary cities.

Healey's silence

ICE Acting Field Office Director David Wesling did not mince words.
"Even though some of these foreign fugitives had no criminal charges in the United States, all endangered our New England communities," Wesling said. "We will continue to pursue these dangerous criminals that sanctuary politicians fight to protect."
Governor Maura Healey, who has repeatedly defended Massachusetts' sanctuary policies, has not commented on the arrests. Her office has not addressed how a man wanted for murder in Brazil was able to plead down a criminal case on Martha's Vineyard and walk free.
Chaves Paiva will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. The tip that led to his arrest came from a member of the public — not from Massachusetts law enforcement.

Have a tip? Email us at [email protected]

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