Feds: Hazleton cops released alleged illegals
Barletta apologizes, admits he made mistake blaming immigration bureau.
STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@timesleader.com




HAZLETON – An official with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Hazleton police, not federal officials, released alleged illegal immigrants cited with crimes on Sunday.

Mayor Lou Barletta, at a Monday press conference, blamed lax immigration laws for causing bureau officials to release the suspects.

On Wednesday Barletta said his error was the result of a “miscommunication” and said that he had apologized to bureau officials on Tuesday.

The misunderstanding between Barletta and federal officials stems from a Sunday-morning, high-speed chase through downtown Hazleton.

City police arrested four men, including three illegal immigrants, following the chase.

In a press release after the incident, police said they sent electronic messages to the bureau on all four men, but the bureau “refused to detain” any of them.

Ernestine Fobbs, a spokeswoman for the bureau, said Hazleton police never asked the bureau to issue detainers on the suspects.

John Kelleghan, special agent in charge of the bureau’s Philadelphia office of investigations, said the officer who sent electronic messages to the bureau’s Law Enforcement Service Center failed to enter some information correctly. Kelleghan also said local police are required to call the bureau to inform federal agents if they have suspected illegal immigrants in custody and to request detainers, which city police failed to do on Sunday.

Barletta said the bureau has been “very cooperative with us. And again, I apologize to ICE for the miscommunication.”

Police Chief Robert Ferdinand said his officer thought electronic communication was all that was required. He said he will issue a memo outlining proper procedures to follow when they suspect they have an illegal immigrant in custody.

The driver of the vehicle, Klever Juanacio, 33, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was charged with drunken driving, fleeing and eluding, providing false identification and several vehicle code violations. He remains at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $25,000 bail. He is from Ecuador and is in the United States illegally, police said.

Passengers Pazual Perez, 29, and Jose Alberto-Perez, both of Hazleton, were charged with public drunkenness, issued citations and released. They are here illegally from Mexico, according to officials.

Passenger Juan Fuentes, 32, of Hazle Township, was charged with resisting arrest and public drunkenness. He is at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $5,000 bail. Police said Fuentes is in the country legally.


Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader
http://www.timesleader.com/news/2007041 ... S_ART.html