Thread: NY-Opponents rip Putnam sheriff for release of illegal alie

Opponents rip Putnam sheriff for release of suspected illegal immigrant
By Terence Corcoran • tcorcora@lohud.com • July 10, 2009

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Two opponents of Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith are using the recent release of a suspect in a drunken-driving case to criticize Smith for not being more aggressive on illegal immigration.





Republican challengers James Borkowski and Andrew DeStefano held separate news conferences yesterday, bashing Smith, a Republican seeking his third term, for the weekend release of Segundo Ordonez-Tanay, 26, of Danbury, Conn.



"The Sheriff's Office blew it. As a result, a criminal illegal alien was returned to the streets," said Borkowski, a former Southeast town justice.



"If you are unable or unwilling to do this job, you should step aside and let a law enforcement commander run the Sheriff's Office," said DeStefano, a retired New York City police captain from Patterson.



The July 3 arrest of Ordonez-Tanay came less than a month after the arrest of another suspect in a drunken-driving case in which a woman and her daughter were killed in Brewster.



Ordonez-Tanay went to the Putnam County jail and was released on bail after the jail did not notify federal officials they had a suspected illegal immigrant in custody. Federal officials may lodge a warrant that puts a defendant into their custody upon release.



Undersheriff Peter Convery said the jail didn't call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about Ordonez-Tanay because the agency doesn't answer its phone on weekends. He also noted that "detainer" warrants are rarely placed on those facing a misdemeanor charge. An ICE spokesman said jail officials could have called a 24-hour Vermont-based hotline to report Ordonez-Tanay, adding that the agency might have sought a warrant.



DeStefano and Borkowski said that Smith's staff did not have the right number to call ICE. Each vowed to do more to combat crime by illegal immigrants if elected.



Both said they would have the Sheriff's Office participate in a federal program that gives local officers the authority and training to identify, question and arrest illegal immigrants. DeStefano also vowed to crack down on contractors who hire illegal immigrants, have deputies walk Brewster streets to ensure that residents feel safe, and work with building officials to close illegal apartments.



Both also criticized Smith for being away from his office.



Smith said Putnam County did not qualify for the federal program because it has too few officers. He also said it would increase jail overtime costs. Smith bristled at the criticism that he is never in his office. He was on vacation yesterday with his family, his last break, he said, until after the election.



"I find my opponents' personal attacks about my spending some quality time with my wife, children and grandchildren both ridiculous and ironic," Smith said.



He defended his office's record of reporting 558 suspects to ICE. Detainer warrants were lodged against 215 of them, he said.


http://www.lohud.com/article/20090710/N ... 3/-1/rss01

Undersheriff Peter Convery said the jail didn't call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about Ordonez-Tanay because the agency doesn't answer its phone on weekends. He also noted that "detainer" warrants are rarely placed on those facing a misdemeanor charge. An ICE spokesman said jail officials could have called a 24-hour Vermont-based hotline to report Ordonez-Tanay, adding that the agency might have sought a warrant.
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SO IF YOU HAVE suspicion that one is illegal and supposedly ICE wont answer on the weekends. Hold the person till Monday and until you can get someone at ICE to answer.
Undersheriff, you cant be THIS DAMN STIPID........ can you?