‘When criminal aliens are released to the streets instead of being transferred to ICE custody, as in this case, it is a great injustice to the victims…’
(Joshua Paladino, Liberty Headlines) The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Department in Washington state arrested an illegal alien with a criminal record, charged him with crimes including murder, and then released him without notifying Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE joined the Kittitas County officials in the search for Jorge Omar Alcantara–Gonzalez, 41, on May 28 after learning that he was involved in the disappearance of a local hunter, 41-year-old Ian Eckles of Kent.
Local authorities found and arrested Alcantara-Gonzalez on June 14 and charged him with murder, burglary, theft and other crimes that are connected to the disappearance of Eckes, who went missing in mid-May, ICE reported.
ICE requested custody of Alcantara-Gonzalez, or at least notification of his release, from the Kittitas County Jail, but the jail released him without notice.
Local law enforcement and immigration officers have encountered Alcantara-Gonzalez on multiple occasions in past years.
The Washington State Patrol arrested him in Dec. 26, 2017 for driving under the influence. The King County Jail released him on Dec. 27 before ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations could lodge a detainer for his arrest.
The Lewis County Sheriff’s arrested him about one year later, on Dec. 17, 2018, for failure to comply with the state, presumably related to King County’s drunk driving charges.
ICE requested custody of Alcantara-Gonzalez on Dec. 18, but the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office transferred him to King County’s custody the next day.
King County placed him in the Regional Justice Center of Washington.
ICE asked RJC to transfer the illegal alien to its custody on Dec. 20, 2018. The jail released him without notifying ICE.
Four days later, the Seattle Police Department arrested Alcantara-Gonzalez and charged him with stealing a vehicle.
The Seattle Police Department arrested him again in March 2019 for failure to comply.
The King County jail released him again, in defiance of another ICE immigration detainer.
Authorities finally convicted Alcantara-Gonzalez of vehicle prowling and drunk driving in May and June of 2019.
After serving a short amount of time in prison, the jail released him without notifying ICE.
Customs and Border Protection has deported Alcantara-Gonzalez three times, in 2003, 2009 and 2013.
“When criminal aliens are released to the streets instead of being transferred to ICE custody, as in this case, it is a great injustice to the victims, their family, and the community at large,” said Michael Melendez, acting field office director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Seattle.