Man arrested by ICE was working as police officer
By Russ Reed, Jon Chrisos
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OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine (WMTW) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say a Jamaican national who has been in the United States without legal status for nearly two years has been working as a police officer in Maine.
Jon Luke Evans was arrested Friday in Biddeford by officers with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston after he unlawfully attempted to purchase a gun, according to officials.
Immigration authorities said Evans was employed as a reserve officer with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department.
In response to the detention, Old Orchard Beach Police Chief Elise Chard confirmed Evans was hired in May as a reserve officer as part of the town’s seasonal policing efforts. Evans was required to complete a federal immigration and work authorization form, which was approved by the Department of Homeland Security, according to Chard.
“We are distressed and deeply concerned about this apparent error on the part of the federal government,” Chard said in a statement.
According to federal authorities, Evans admitted to ICE officers that he tried to purchase a gun for his employment as an Old Orchard Beach police officer.
The attempt to buy the firearm triggered an alert to agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, who worked in coordination with ICE to make the arrest.
“Jon Luke Evans not only broke U.S. immigration law, but he also illegally attempted to purchase a firearm. Shockingly, Evans was employed as a local law enforcement officer,” ICE ERO Boston Acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde said in a statement.
Authorities said Evans lawfully entered the United States at Miami International Airport in Florida on Sept. 24, 2023. He was scheduled to depart the country a week later but never boarded the flight. ICE said Evans violated the terms of his lawful admission to the United States when he overstayed his visa.
“Evans would not have been permitted to begin work as a reserve officer until and unless Homeland Security verified his status. The police department was notified that Evans was legally permitted to work in the U.S., and his I-766 Employment Authorization Document was not set to expire until March 2030,” Chard said.
According to Chard, reserve officers undergo firearm training and are equipped with department-issued weapons during their shifts. However, department policy prohibits them from taking these firearms home, requiring all issued weapons to be returned at the end of each duty period. Additionally, reserve officers are neither encouraged nor permitted to purchase or carry personal firearms while performing official duties.
Chard said the department intends to investigate what steps should be taken next.
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