According to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, detectives were on Witherspoon Street early Friday morning, just north of the Princeton Cemetery, executing a search warrant related to an investigation into internet crimes. This contradicts false reports spread through the Princeton community that the event was a raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Oliver Diaz Pulex, 24, was charged with one count of second-degree distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and one count of third-degree possession of CSAM, according to a Saturday press release from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
Multiple law enforcement teams were involved in Pulex’s arrest, including members of the prosecutor’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit, the Special Victims Unit, the Economic Crime Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Mercer County Tactical Response Team.
Photos apparently taken at the scene show at least half a dozen people wearing police vests, at least one of them with the abbreviation “HSI,” standing for Homeland Security Investigations, on the back.
Princeton Mayor Mark Freda confirmed to the ‘Prince’ on Friday that ICE was not present at the arrest and that it did not have to do with immigration issues. This was corroborated by Saturday’s press release. The release notes that Pulex allegedly “knowingly distributed an item depicting or portraying a child in a sexually explicit manner while utilizing the internet or social media applications.”
Freda also noted that agents from the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) generally assist the county in cybersecurity threats.
Resistencia en Acción New Jersey (REA NJ), an organization dedicated to protecting the rights of immigrants in New Jersey, released a statement the evening of Feb. 21 in response to a call they received on their rapid response hotline.
“Early this morning at approximately 6:30am, a call was placed,” the statement read. “It was confirmed that we had the presence of at least 20 agents wearing Police and Homeland Security vests and arrested one person in Princeton.”
“They entered the house by breaking down doors and handcuffed 6 individuals that were later released,” the statement continues. “Two of the people suffered injuries during the search and they are getting medical attention.”
Ana Pazmino, Executive Director of REA NJ, told the ‘Prince’ that she and REA NJ’s rapid response team arrived at the house after the officers had already left. One of the family members let them inside so Pazmino could give “Know Your Rights” information.
“We noticed that they had broken into the rooms. They broke the door frames. The front door was unlocked, so of course, they got in through the front door,” Pazmino added. “Two of the people who were handcuffed also received some injuries and were bleeding.”
The two injured individuals, according to Pazmino, are okay.
The statement also detailed that officers arrived in “unmarked cars” and a “tank truck identified as Sheriff on the side.”
Pazmino shared on Friday, prior to the statement from Mercer County, that Resistencia was working to find the detainee and assist with legal services and family support. The detainee’s whereabouts and his reason for arrest were unknown at the time.
“We are thinking we’ll be able to find his whereabouts in the next 48 hours, and then we will be releasing some update, probably either Monday or Tuesday,” Pazmino told the ‘Prince’ on Friday.
Resistencia urged community members to stay safe in consideration of what they thought at the time was an ICE raid. According to the statement, that includes “exercis[ing] your right to keep your doors locked and closed and not answer any questions if you encounter ICE agents.”
Friday afternoon, Princeton’s mayor and Council released a statement, unrelated to the incident, writing in part, “The Mayor and Council are committed to ensuring that regardless of your age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or place of birth, you are welcome in Princeton.”
Fear of these raids comes after an increase in ICE raids in the state aimed at enforcing the arrest of undocumented immigrants. In July 2024, ICE arrested one unlawfully present noncitizen in Princeton.
Resistencia will be hosting a “Know Your Rights” information session on March 17 at 7 p.m. Although the event was pre-planned, Pazmino emphasized the importance of the event, stating “it’s in conjunction [with] what has happened.”
Editor’s note: This piece was updated on Feb. 24 to reflect new information and reporting.
Charlie Roth is a senior News writer and editor emeritus focusing on local, state, and national politics.
Luke Grippo is a staff News writer for the ‘Prince.’ He is from South Jersey and usually covers administrative issues, including USG, the CPUC, and institutional legacy.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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