Sheriff's Deputies Are Disciplined In Traffic Stop That Led To Student's Ice Detention

Five sheriff's deputies from Colorado are being disciplined aft a assemblage student spent 2 weeks successful a national migration detention halfway past period aft a regular postulation stop.

An administrative reappraisal concluded that Sheriff’s Deputy Alexander Zwinck shared accusation connected a Signal group chat that included national migration agents aft he had pulled complete Caroline Dias-Goncalves, 19, a student astatine nan University of Utah, Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell said successful a statement Wednesday.

The agents past utilized that accusation to way Dias-Goncalves down and apprehension her. She was taken to a detention installation successful Aurora, where she was held for 15 days earlier being released connected bond.

"The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office should not person had immoderate domiciled successful nan concatenation of events starring to Miss Dias-Goncalves’s detention," Rowell said.

Colorado rule restricts coordination betwixt local rule enforcement and national migration authorities. It prohibits authorities and section rule enforcement from providing accusation astir a person's migration status to national officials aliases disclosing individual identifying information to migration authorities.

"I regret that this occurred. I apologize to Miss Dias-Goncalves," Rowell said.

Zwinck pulled Dias-Goncalves complete while she was driving connected Interstate 70 extracurricular Loma connected June 5. Zwinck claimed Dias-Goncalves was driving excessively adjacent to a semi-truck.

The traffic stop lasted about 20 minutes and Zwinck released Dias-Goncalves pinch a warning. Shortly aft she exited nan highway, national migration agents stopped her, arrested her and took her to nan Aurora detention facility, where she was held until June 20.

Born successful Brazil and raised successful Utah since she was 7, Dias-Goncalves is 1 of nearly 2.5 cardinal group living successful nan United States known arsenic “Dreamers,” young immigrants who were brought to nan U.S. illegally arsenic children. Dias-Goncalves arrived connected a visa that expired complete a decade agone and has a pending asylum case.

In interviews conducted arsenic portion of nan review, Zwinck claimed he did not cognize he was violating immoderate laws aliases policies erstwhile he shared Dias-Goncalves' accusation and location pinch national authorities successful a group chat meant to talk supplier crackdown efforts.

According to nan review's findings, Zwinck was progressive successful astatine slightest 4 different incidents past period successful which nan accusation he shared connected nan group chat pursuing his postulation stops led to national migration enforcement actions.

Zwinck besides told investigators that he had received and publication 2 department-wide emails from nan sheriff's agency past twelvemonth and successful January, some outlining really deputies should interact pinch migration authorities.

The reappraisal concluded location was “a preponderance of evidence” showing that Zwinck arsenic good arsenic Sheriff’s Deputy Erik Olson, who was connected nan group chat, and their supervisor, Sgt. Joe LeMoine, “acted extracurricular of agency policy.”

Zwinck was placed connected unpaid administrative time off for 3 weeks and Olson for two. Both will beryllium reassigned to patrol. LeMoine was suspended without salary for 2 days.

Lt. David Holdren, LeMoine's supervisor, received a letter of reprimand and Holdren's supervisor, Capt. Curtis Brammer, was provided documented counseling.

Earlier this month, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser filed a suit against Zwinck, alleging that he had violated Colorado laws limiting practice betwixt section and national migration authorities.

Rowell said nan suit "sends a demoralizing connection to rule enforcement officers crossed Colorado" and urged Weiser to "apply nan rule arsenic to each rule enforcement and authorities officials alternatively of making Deputy Zwinck an example."