The Maryland case drew national attention after Sean Spicer cited it as an example of the need to crack down on illegal immigration.<\/b>
\nProsecutors in Maryland said on Friday that they would drop rape charges against an undocumented immigrant and another high school student, adding a new twist to a case that the White House had held up as evidence of the need to be tough on illegal immigration.
The allegations originated at Rockville High School in March, when the police accused the two male students of raping a 14-year-old girl in a bathroom stall. The case quickly ascended to the national stage when Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, told reporters that President Trump had prioritized cracking down on illegal immigration \u201cbecause of tragedies like\u201d the situation in Maryland.
Days later, the father of the undocumented student was detained by the federal authorities for entering the country illegally, placing additional scrutiny on the case and stirring further debate.
But on Friday, John J. McCarthy, state\u2019s attorney for Montgomery County, said his office had concluded that \u201cthe facts of this case do not support the charges originally filed\u201d against the two students, Henry E. Sanchez-Milian, 18, and Jose O. Montano, 17.
Citing a \u201clack of corroboration and substantial inconsistencies, \u201d Mr. McCarthy told reporters that after a \u201cpainstaking investigation\u201d it had become clear that prosecuting the students on the original charges of first-degree rape and sexual offense was \u201cuntenable.\u201d
\u201cThe actions today have been discussed with the 14-year-old girl, her attorney and her family, \u201d he said. \u201cAs prosecutors, we always go where the evidence takes us, \u201d regardless of \u201cpublic opinion or political pressure.\u201d
Though he said he would drop the rape charges against Mr. Sanchez-Milian, Mr. McCarthy said his office had filed a new child pornography charge against him, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Mr. McCarthy did not elaborate. A spokesman for his office said the charge was filed on Thursday.
At a news conference on Friday, lawyers for Mr. Montano said the state had also decided to file pornography-related charges against their client in juvenile court.
\u201cIt\u2019s egregious that the state is doing this, \u201d Maria Mena, one of Mr. Montano\u2019s lawyers, said. \u201cThe purpose of the pornography statute was to go after adult predators, not juveniles.\u201d
Prosecutors had originally intended to charge Mr. Montano as an adult in the rape case.
Asked Friday afternoon about Maryland prosecutors\u2019 decision to drop the rape charges, Sarah Sanders, the White House\u2019s deputy press secretary, said she would not retract any statements on the case \u201cwithout further information.\u201d Mr. Spicer, she said, \u201cwas speaking about what he knew at the time.\u201d
\u201cWe\u2019 re always looking to protect the American people, \u201d she said, adding later in a reference to Mr. Trump, \u201cThis is a law-and-order president.\u201d
The episode from which the allegations arose occurred March 16 when, according to the Montgomery County Police Department, Mr. Montano and Mr. Sanchez-Milian had propositioned the 14-year-old girl for sex in a hallway of the high school. When she refused, they forced her into a boys\u2019 bathroom and raped her in a stall, the authorities said at the time.
It was not immediately clear how Friday\u2019s developments would affect Mr. Sanchez-Milian\u2019s immigration status.
The authorities have not commented on Mr. Montano\u2019s immigration status because he is a minor.
But David Wooten, one of Mr. Montano\u2019s lawyers, said his client\u2019s family members are United States citizens and confirmed that his client is in deportation proceedings.
\u201cHe came here on his own in order to be reunited with his family because he didn\u2019 t have any family back home left, \u201d Mr. Wooten said.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said that after the students were arrested they had determined that Mr. Sanchez-Milian, a native of Guatemala, had entered the country illegally. They placed a detainer on Mr. Sanchez-Milian the day he was charged, which officials said at the time would allow them to eventually take him into custody.
Soon after, ICE officers arrested Mr. Sanchez-Milian\u2019s father, Adolfo Sanchez-Reyes.
The case received extensive news media coverage in connection with the nationwide debate over undocumented immigrants and so-called sanctuary cities.<\/p>\n

\n

Similarity rank: 15<\/div>\n

Sentiment rank: -1.3<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

TW posts: 20<\/div>\n

TW reposts: 0<\/div>\n

TW likes: 0<\/div>\n

TW sentiment: -10<\/div>\n<\/div>\n