Correction: Undocumented immigrants not arrested at courthouse; record misinterpreted
Editor’s note: On Thursday, ABC-7 reported at least 20 undocumented immigrants were arrested at the federal courthouse in Las Cruces. That report was incorrect. It was based on data displayed on the Doña Ana County Detention Center’s inmate booking website. After checking with the US Marshal’s Service, the Border Patrol, ICE, federal public defenders and prosecutors, and detention center administrators, ABC-7 found the reason why the location of arrest was listed as “Federal Courthouse.” Here is the updated story:
At least 20 undocumented immigrants were processed at the Doña Ana County Detention Center Thursday morning in a 2-hour span. The process is not unusual, as people who show up to court hearings and have to go to jail because a judge has ordered them detained may arrive in groups.
The men had something in common beyond arriving at the jail at the same time. All were accused of violating federal immigration laws, according to the county’s inmate website. Court documents obtained by ABC-7 state that all men pleaded guilty to a charge of re-entry of a removed alien. All have pleaded guilty, court documents state.
The question became, why was the arrest location listed as “Federal Courthouse?”
ABC-7 called the US Marshals Thursday, the arresting agency listed on the website. A spokesperson with the agency said it was not responsible for the arrests. However, ABC-7 learned Friday, the men had not been arrested that morning; they were mainly transferred from the custody of US Marshals to the detention center.
The federal courthouse was listed as the arrest location “because that’s where our people took custody of them from the US Marshals,” explained Lt. Patrick Howie at the Doña Ana Detention Center.
“It’s not a glitch in the system, but the way the system has worked for years,” he said.
Inmates may be out on bond, go back to court for their hearing and be convicted. The judge will order them detained until their sentencing or they may be sentenced and will be at the jail until they’re sent to prison.
The record, he said, is meant to classify inmates.
“Somebody (who’s) not familiar with the system is going to read it as an arrest at the courthouse. That’s not what it means.”
Elizabeth M. Martinez, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney in Albuquerque, provided ABC-7 with further information on the inmates.
“As you can see, none of the defendants was arrested on June 29 and none was at the federal courthouse that day,” Martinez wrote. She provided more information on each case:
Daniel Bautista-Bautista, 25 (deported: 12/20/2016, arrested: 5/18/17)
Arrested on May 18, 2017; was ordered detained on May 22, 2017; pled guilty on June 22, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Bautista-Bautista has not been in federal court since June 22, 2017.
Seberiano Hernandez-Soto, 25 (deported: 5/19-17, arrested: 6/11/17)
Arrested on June 11, 2017; was ordered detained on June 12, 2017; pled guilty on June 20, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Hernandez-Soto has not been in federal court since June 20, 2017.
Arturo Lopez-Amaro, 26 (deported: 2/22/13, arrested: 6/04/17)
Arrested on June 4, 2017; was ordered detained on June 6, 2017; pled guilty on June 21, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Lopez-Amaro has not been in federal court since June 21, 2017.
Jairo Orona-Rodriguez, 28 (deported: 12/18/09, arrested: 6/16/17)
Arrested on June 16, 2017; was ordered detained on June 19, 2017; pled guilty on June 27, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Orona-Rodriguez has not been in federal court since June 27, 2017.
Alvaro Alcon-Alcon, 31 (deported: 1/16/12, arrested: 6/03/17)
Arrested on June 3, 2017; was ordered detained on June 14, 2017; pled guilty on June 21, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Alcon-Alcon has not been in federal court since June 21, 2017.
Omar Gutierrez-Diaz, 31 (deported: 1/27/14, arrested: 6/08/17)
Arrested on June 8, 2017; was ordered detained on June 12, 2017; pled guilty on June 20, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Gutierrez-Diaz has not been in federal court since June 22, 2017.
Juan Noj-Chamale, 32 (deported: 3/22/17, arrested: 6/08/17)
Arrested on June 8, 2017; was ordered detained on June 12, 2017; pled guilty on June 20, 2017; is scheduled for sentencing on July 3, 2017; Noj-Chamale has not been in federal court since June 20, 2017.
Roman Sanchez-Solis, 35 (deported: 10/25/06, arrested: 6/10/17)
Arrested on June 10, 2017; was ordered detained on June 12, 2017; pled guilty on June 20, 2017; is scheduled for sentencing on July 3, 2017; Sanchez-Solis has not been in federal court since June 20, 2017.
Hugo Villa-Sandoval, 40 (deported: 9/23/09, arrested: 6/10/17)
Arrested on June 10, 2017; was ordered detained on June 12, 2017; pled guilty on June 20, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Villa-Sandoval has not been in federal court since June 20, 2017.
Jesus Calderon-Regalado, 49 (deported: 5/23/16, arrested: 6/8/17)
Arrested on June 8, 2017; was ordered detained on June 12, 2017; pled guilty on June 20, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Calderon-Regalado has not been in federal court since June 20, 2017.
Juan Sanchez-Navarro, 27 (deported: 5/16/17, arrested: 6/08/17)
Arrested on June 8, 2017; was ordered detained on June 12, 2017; pled guilty on June 20, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Sanchez-Navarro has not been in federal court since June 20, 2017.
Agustin Guerrero-Moreno, 41 (deported: 3/08/14, arrested: 6/14/17)
Arrested on June 14, 2017; was ordered detained on June 16, 2017; pled guilty on June 26, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Guerrero-Moreno has not been in federal court since June 26, 2017.
Raul Flores-Lopez, 27 (deported: 3/07/2017, arrested: 6/09/17)
Arrested on June 9, 2017; was ordered detained on June 12, 2017; pled guilty on June 20, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Flores-Lopez has not been in federal court since June 20, 2017.
Tomas Guadarrama-Media, 39
Arrested on June 13, 2017; was ordered detained on June 16, 2017; pled guilty on June 26, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Guadarrama-Medina has not been in federal court since June 26, 2017.
Javier Aguilar-Ramos, 41 (deported: 4/29/17, arrested: 6/11/17)
Arrested on June 11, 2017; was ordered detained on June 13, 2017; pled guilty on June 21, 2017; is scheduled for sentencing on July 3, 2017; Aguilar-Ramos has not been in federal court since June 21, 2017.
Ezequiel Antonio Hernandez, 32 (deported: 9/11/11, arrested: 6/07/17)
Arrested on June 7, 2017; was ordered detained on June 12, 2017; pled guilty on June 20, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Antonio-Hernandez has not been in federal court since June 20, 2017.
Verulo Robles-Zurita, 52 (deported: 4/18/17, arrested: 6/11/17)
Arrested on June 11, 2017; was ordered detained on June 13, 2017; pled guilty on June 21, 2017; is scheduled for sentencing on July 3, 2017; Robles-Zurita has not been in federal court since June 21, 2017.
Emilio Rios, 42 (deported: 4/25/09, arrested: 6/09/17)
Arrested on June 9, 2017; was ordered detained on June 12, 2017; pled guilty on June 20, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Rios (True Name Jose Leon Villafranco-Tovar) has not been in federal court since June 20, 2017.
Jesus Lopez-Villanueva, 37 (deported: 6/28/15, arrested: 6/14./17)
Arrested on June 10, 2017; was ordered detained on June 12, 2017; pled guilty on June 20, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing date; Sanchez-Solis has not been in federal court since June 20, 2017.
Francisco Fernandez-Hernandez, 34 (deported: 3/31/17, arrested: 5/18/17)
Arrested on May 18, 2017; was ordered detained on May 23, 2017; pled guilty on June 22, 2017; the court has not scheduled a sentencing hearing; Fernandez-Hernandez has not been in federal court since June 22, 2017.
