INS Deports Ex-Gang Member Who Became a Pastor

Former gang member Geronimo Burgos thought he had put his past behind him last month when he was sentenced to probation for aiding in a 1993 Santa Ana drive-by shooting.

He was planning to return to Alabama to lead a church congregation where he had served as pastor and mentor to troubled teens. He said he’d learned from his mistakes.

But just moments after the 30-year-old left an Orange County courtroom, INS agents moved in and took him into custody. Burgos, a native of Mexico, was in the country illegally, authorities said.

Last week, Burgos was deported to Mexico, said INS spokesman Francisco Arcaute.

Orange County prosecutors said they fear the Immigration and Naturalization Service action could hamper plans to prosecute others involved in the 1993 shooting death of 18-year-old Christian Madera. As part of his probation sentence, Burgos promised to testify against anyone else prosecuted in the case. Madera’s killer remains at large.

“We didn’t have any knowledge the INS was going to do this. It certainly makes it more difficult if we do catch the shooter,” said Tori Richards, a spokeswoman for the Orange County district attorney’s office. “However, Mr. Burgos did enter this country illegally, which is against the law. So we can’t fault the INS for what they did. This is just a no-win situation.”

Prosecutors said Burgos was in the car when a drive-by shooting occurred but maintain he did not fire the shots that killed a rival gang member.

Attorney Vincent Oliver said Burgos’ family is devastated. Burgos had married and was raising a family in Alabama.

“They’re absolutely distraught. This is somebody who’s led a clean life since 1993. He has small children, a congregation,” Oliver said.

Burgos moved to the United States as a child and was raised in Orange County. He was deported after a robbery conviction in the early 1990s and reentered the country illegally, authorities said.

“The family is in complete shock. [This was] totally unexpected,” said Burgos’ aunt, Alma Rendon. “This is terrible. What about his children?”

Arcaute said the INS follows strict procedures in deportation cases.

“By the time anyone reaches the state of deportation, they have had their chance to argue their case to a judge. We take deportations very seriously. It’s not something we just perform lightly,” he said.

Arcaute said that he was able to determine from INS records that Burgos had been deported, but was not able on short notice to find out whether he had had a hearing.