Federal immigration officials have asked Kentucky jailers to hold an illegal immigrant charged with rape, human trafficking and sexual abuse while he was working as a landlord, so he can be taken into federal custody for deportation. Rolando Cenobio Vasquez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested on July 29 by Louisville police, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said.
ICE lodged a detainer with the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections the same day Vasquez was arrested. The agency is requesting that jail officials not release Vasquez so he can be removed from the country. He is accused of renting out a room to a mother and her 15-year-old daughter and allegedly began abusing the teenager in December 2025. Authorities said Vasquez also threatened the mother and child, and at times offered the teenager money to conceal the abuse.
Vasquez faces multiple charges including three counts of rape, three counts of sodomy, human trafficking, promoting human trafficking with a victim under 18 and sexual abuse. His criminal history includes a prior conviction for driving under the influence of liquor.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Vasquez first entered the United States illegally in August 2013 through Texas, where he was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol and subsequently deported. It is not clear when he re-entered the U.S. illegally.
Louisville is not considered a sanctuary jurisdiction. In July 2025, the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections agreed to adhere to a federal law requiring inmates in custody to be held for up to 48 hours on immigration detainers.