The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office has reported the arrest of an individual for first-degree statutory rape, indecent liberties with a child, and assault on a female.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Abraham Cruz Resendiz, a 32-year-old Hispanic male from Hickory, was arrested on December 9, 2025. The charges include assault on a female with a $5,000 bond, indecent liberties with a child with a $1,000,000 bond, first-degree statutory rape, and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer. The arrests were executed by the Hickory Police Department. Court appearances are scheduled for January 13 and 15, 2026, in Newton District Court. This information is available in the county’s public inmate database.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reported a significant increase in arrests of immigrants in North Carolina from January to June 2025 compared to the previous year. The total number of arrests reached 1,822 during this period. Of these individuals arrested, 46% had criminal convictions while 34% had no convictions; the remaining 20% faced only civil immigration charges. Most of those arrested were from Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said that nationwide ICE arrests involve illegal aliens convicted or charged with crimes in about 70% of cases. These offenses include serious crimes such as homicide, sex crimes, and drug trafficking. In fiscal year 2023 alone, ICE identified 1,647 victims of child exploitation through its operations.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office was established in 1842 when Catawba County was formed from part of Lincoln County. Andrew Shuford was appointed as the first sheriff in March 1843. Today, the office provides law enforcement services to over 160,000 residents across an area of approximately 413 square miles.
