U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported a Florida man who was charged in June for allegedly injecting chemicals into his neighbor’s home to China Thursday, according to multiple repots.
36-year-old Xuming Li, who resided in Florida but was originally from China, faced multiple charges, including battery, stalking and burglary, according to Law & Crime. He was scheduled for a court hearing Tuesday, but he reportedly missed it, which led to a judge issuing a capias warrant for his arrest. This warrant, however, became partially redundant as ICE detained and deported Li prior to the hearing, per Law & Crime.
“ICE deported him before the hearing,” a 13th Judicial Circuit state’s attorney’s office spokesperson told Law & Crime. “The judge issued a capias warrant, which essentially means if he were to ever try to enter the country again, he would face those charges again. Technically, it will remain a pending case in our office because if he were to enter the country again, he would face the charges.” (RELATED: ‘Sanctuary Country’: ICE Deportations, Arrests See Dramatic Drop Under Biden)
Tampa man who injected ‘chemical agent’ into neighbor’s home to be deported https://t.co/2NCMR5NeYn pic.twitter.com/VYvCPQZUdA
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) December 6, 2023
Li was caught on video allegedly injecting a substance into his upstairs neighbor’s home in the summer of 2023. Li’s alleged actions all started after he reportedly had an issue with his neighbor.
“He complained about footsteps,” Umar Abdullah, Li’s neighbor, said, per local Fox affiliate WTVT. “He complained about door closing sounds. My landlord and I did a simulation, and we could hardly find any sound.”
Abdullah and his pregnant wife experienced unexplained illnesses, which they later linked to a chemical odor in their home, according to WTVT. Despite various attempts to locate the source, including consulting professionals and installing hidden cameras, the mystery persisted until Li appeared to be captured on film.
The Tampa Police Department conducted a hazardous material test and identified the substance as containing methadone and hydrocodone, per Law & Crime. Li, who was on a student visa studying chemistry, pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, his student status was revoked, and he was expelled from the University of South Florida amidst the growing attention on his case.