Police officer detained by ICE is being held at Massachusetts facility
By Adam Bartow
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OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine (WMTW) — Maine’s Total Coverage has confirmed that the Old Orchard Beach police reserve officer detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials after trying to buy a gun is currently being held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts. Officials say Jon-Luke Evans has been there since Sunday, two days after his arrest in Biddeford.
Maine’s Total Coverage is working to confirm the official charges against Evans.
Old Orchard Beach Police Chief Elise Chard has 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.
Maine’s Total Coverage and ABC News obtained a redacted copy of Evans’ personnel file, including more than 50 pages of documentation.
A résumé included in that file describes him as a “trained Agricultural Educator with exceptional skills in conducting and teaching research in plant life animal behaviour and nutrition, seeking to transition my skills in problem-solving, critical thinking and environmental conservation to a career in law enforcement.”
In his application to be a reserve officer in Old Orchard Beach on April 15, 2025, Evans wrote “I would like to take a step forward in gaining more experience so I can become an excellent police officer one day.”
Evans was notified on April 14, 2025 that he had been conditionally selected for employment as a reserve officer for the Old Orchard Beach Police Department, pending completion of a background check, mandatory testing, submission of mandatory paperwork, drug screening and completion of scheduled training.
His file shows that on May 5, 2025, Evans received certification from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy for completing the Phase I classroom requirements.
He was officially appointed a reserve police officer in Old Orchard Beach on June 20, 2025, for a term to expire on May 1, 2026.
Records show Evans completed Phase II training with the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in June 2025. He received Phase III certification and certification as a part-time law enforcement officer from the Academy on July 10, 2025, just two weeks before he was detained by ICE.
His certification included passing his firearms safe handling and qualifications from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.
The personnel file does not include any documentation concerning his immigration status or paperwork to be in the country legally.
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