The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) of Washington announced on Friday the rescue of three children and the arrest of a foreign national in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
INTERPOL Washington confirmed in a press release that the agency participated in a joint operation with the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 5 to arrest Angelo McQueen, a citizen of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas who the intergovernmental agency explained was wanted “for sexual offenses against a minor.”
The agency reported “the rescue of three minor children” at McQueen’s residence in Pigeon Forge. It also confirmed McQueen entered the country in Florida on a tourism visa on March 1, 2024.
Though INTERPOL Washington did not release the identities of the minor children, including whether they are related to McQueen or are U.S. citizens, the agency confirmed in its press release that “[a]uthorities also suspected that McQueen had abducted his biological daughter and brought her to the United States.”
McQueen was allowed into the United States despite The Nassau Guardian reporting he was accused of “unlawful sexual intercourse” with a 14-year-old girl in August 2023.
Less than two months after McQueen entered the United States, the Bahamanian outlet reported on the social media platform X that police released a poster indicating 33-year-old McQueen was “wanted for child stealing.”
Police have released a poster for Angelo McQueen, who is wanted for child stealing. pic.twitter.com/TSb997eAus
— Nassau Guardian (@GuardianNassau) April 26, 2024
Pigeon Forge is about 35 miles southeast of Knoxville and may be best known for the Dollywood amusement park partially owned by country music artist Dolly Parton.
The INTERPOL Washington news release also confirmed McQueen was “employed at a Pigeon Forge amusement park at the time of his arrest.”
A spokesman for Dollywood told WATE that McQueen was hired by “a third-party staffing service that recruits and hires international workers,” which it claimed “was responsible for background identity checks and employment authorization of its employees assigned to Dollywood.”
The spokesman told the outlet McQueen was assigned to a “back-of-house position” and was not working at the time of his arrest. According to WATE, the spokesman also confirmed the amusement park cut ties with the staffing agency after the arrest.
McQueen is currently in ICE custody pending removal to the Bahamas, according to the INTERPOL Washington statement.
Though it is unclear how McQueen was able to enter the United States despite his criminal charges in the Bahamas, in May, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis approved legislation that is aimed at combating human trafficking with public awareness.
Earlier this year, The Tennessee Star confirmed two foreign nationals arrested in the Volunteer state and accused of being part of a “multinational criminal organization linked to human trafficking” are illegal immigrants.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Pigeon Forge Welcome Sign” by Pigeon Forge.
