Maryland agencies not only released two teen murder suspects despite an ICE detainer, but they are also now defending the decision which many believe led to the death of a 14-year-old girl.
“A detainer is not a warrant,” Mary Lou McDonough, Director of the Department of Corrections in Prince George’s County said in response to criticism from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement which argued that it was never notified when the Salvadoran nationals were released.
“A detainer is not a warrant.”
Prince George’s county jail director defends decision to release alleged MS-13 murderers
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 22, 2019
Josue Rafael Fuentes-Ponce, 16, and Joel Ernesto Escobar, 17, were released despite being in the country illegally and went on, with 14-year-old Cynthia Hernandez-Nucamendi, to allegedly murder 14-year-old Ariana Funes-Diaz whose body was found in a creek in Riverdale last week, according to Fox5 DC.
The boys, who police suspect are members of the violent MS-13 gang, were arrested in Prince George’s County last year on gang-related charges and attempted murder and, a few days later, were transferred to a state-run youth detention center.
According to WTOP-TV:
Escobar, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, spent 10 months at the youth detention center and was taken back to the Prince George’s County jail on March 15 of this year, when he was released to a family member on the same day. A previous statement from the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections said that Escboar was not in county custody at the time of his release.
The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services released Fuentes-Ponce following the disposition of his case. The state declined to provide the date of his release because of his juvenile status.
Prince George’s County Department of Corrections said that it followed guidance from State Attorney General Brian Frosh in not informing ICE of Escobar’s release.
“These individuals had demonstrated violent criminal behavior before, and because they were released in spite of the lawful detainer, they were afforded an opportunity to take a life,” ICE Baltimore Field Office Director Diane Witte said in a statement.
ICE claims that the transfer of the teens from county to state custody, and the transfer of Escobar back to county custody for release was never communicated to the federal agency.
Fox5 DC reported:
ICE says Fuentes-Ponce arrived in the United States on December 23, 2015, with a family unit in Texas. On March 16, 2017, an immigration judge ordered Fuentes to be removed in absentia.
On Aug. 23, 2016, ICE says Escobar was found to be an “unlawfully present accompanied juvenile” near McAllen, Texas. He was transferred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement then later released to a family member in the D.C. area, according to ICE.
The release of the teens not only prompted a rebuke from ICE, it sparked an outcry over the needless murder of a young girl which could have been prevented even as the Prince George’s County jail director defended the decision.
This is inexcusable
— Matt Weindel (@MattWeindel) May 22, 2019
This is a non sequitur. Every ICE detainer request also comes with a request (it is literally on the same form) that local officials notify ICE *in advance of releasing the alien*, not just detain them for an extra 48 hours. https://t.co/7H6NsRTNn5
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) May 23, 2019
In this case, Prince George County didn’t even notify ICE of the impending release before ignoring the detainer request.
Important distinction.
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) May 23, 2019
So the protestations of local officials that they just can’t hold people on ICE’s orders are, at least in part, an attempt at misdirection.
Local officials are also disregarding ICE’s requests to simply be told in advance before they release aliens.
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) May 23, 2019
@OecSmith How is this an immigration issue to this woman when a child was brutally murdered. This doesn’t make sense
— Larry Mansfield (@LuckyDawg21) May 22, 2019
They can twist this all they want. It is what it is. Sloppy and defiant and political. Action have consequences. ?
— donna ahart (@dahart66) May 22, 2019
“Sanctuary laws make us safer.”
— Antonio Martinez (@djtechchicago) May 22, 2019
Apparently MS-13 is more important to the director of the jail than the murder of the young girl. Shameful.
— trena nauta (@trena_nauta) May 22, 2019
I’m just going to say it. This is disgusting and lacks any compassion for the victim. What an awful person. Sacrifice American lives because you don’t like a President, is this acceptable to anyone?
— CrashOverride (@Pcjeffmac) May 22, 2019
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
[email protected]
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
- WATCH: Pro-Palestine NYU protester does not know why she’s protesting – friend equally clueless - April 24, 2024
- Rubio: ‘Foreign aid’ bill provides over $3.5B to help bring migrants from the Middle East to US - April 24, 2024
- Jesse Watters: Biden forgives violinist’s screeching $250k student loan debt - April 24, 2024
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!
