Houston, TX — The United States has filed a complaint seeking to revoke the U.S. citizenship of Manuel Antonio La Rosa-Lopez, a former Catholic priest originally from Peru who is serving a 10-year prison sentence for sexually abusing children in his parish.
According to federal officials, La Rosa-Lopez stated during the naturalization process that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested.
The government alleges that statement was false because La Rosa-Lopez had sexually abused multiple child parishioners before applying for U.S. citizenship.
He was charged after becoming a naturalized citizen and later pleaded guilty to two felony counts. He is currently serving his prison sentence.
The denaturalization action follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Operation False Haven.
Federal officials allege La Rosa-Lopez made a material misrepresentation on his naturalization application that made him ineligible to obtain U.S. citizenship.
The complaint seeks to revoke his naturalization; the filing itself does not mean his citizenship has already been revoked.