MILWAUKEE — A Venezuelan makeup artist detained in 2024 while seeking asylum is speaking out — saying his tattoos were mistakenly connected to an infamous gang, and that a former Milwaukee police sergeant played a role in his deportation to a notorious prison in El Salvador.
Andry Hernández Romero says the crown tattoos on his wrists are a tribute to his parents — not a symbol of gang membership.
"This is the Mom tattoo, and this is the Dad tattoo," Hernández Romero said.
"I'm not a criminal, I'm not a gang member, I have a completely clean record," Hernández Romero said.
Watch: Venezuelan says Milwaukee officer's tattoo error sent him to El Salvador prison
After fleeing Venezuela to seek safety and asylum in the United States, Hernández Romero says those tattoos ultimately led to what he describes as torture.
"Sadly, that dream was thwarted by the wrong people," Hernández Romero said.
He says he was first questioned by Border Patrol, then taken into ICE custody and sent to a detention facility in San Diego.
"I was surrounded by people that came from federal prisons, that had criminal records, and that, like, triggered a lot of mockery and bullying. People even made sexual advances toward me," Hernández Romero said.
At that facility, Hernández Romero says he was interviewed by investigators including Charles Cross Jr. — a former Milwaukee police sergeant now working as a facility investigator for CoreCivic, a private prison contractor that partners with ICE.
"I met him when he was a detective, and according to him, he was investigating whether or not I had ties to the so-called Tren de Aragua," Hernández Romero said.
Hernández Romero says he explained the meaning of the crown tattoos to Cross in three separate conversations — but days later learned investigators didn't believe him.
"I'll never forget—claiming I was a key member of the Tren de Aragua simply because I had two crown tattoos on my wrists," Hernández Romero said.
A CoreCivic internal form signed by Cross — filed as an exhibit in a U.S. Department of Justice proceeding — states: "The crown has been found to be an identifier for a Tren De Aragua gang member."
Hernández Romero was then sent to what is considered a terrorism confinement center in El Salvador, where he was held for four months.
It wasn't until he saw our reporting that he learned Cross had a criminal history of his own. District Attorney records obtained by TMJ4 show Cross landed on Milwaukee County's Brady List after a misdemeanor criminal damage to property conviction. He later crashed his car into a home while drunk in 2012 and was arrested by his own department after failing a field sobriety test.
"At first, it was truly a moment of utter helplessness and rage," Hernández Romero said.
"When I saw the report and the news, I realized that such a person should not have the authority or power to decide an immigrant's future without knowing the facts or having concrete evidence to verify whether or not the individual is a criminal," Hernández Romero said.
CoreCivic sent a statement that reads in part:
"We're proud of the work [Cross] has done, and continues to do, for [Otay Mesa Detention Center] as the facility investigator. All our correction and detention staff, including Mr. Cross, are subject to a rigorous pre-employment screening process. CoreCivic staff members did not make the determination that [Romero] was a gang member."
Now living in Spain, Hernández Romero says he won't give up his fight to clear his name.
"Look, I believe God's timing is perfect, and it just crossed my mind that justice will be served—little by little—for the cruelty that man inflicted on me," Hernández Romero said.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
