Thread: ICE detainees fought deputies over prison wine

Published: June 6, 2011
Updated: 1:25 p.m.

ICE detainees fought deputies over prison wine

By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ORANGE – Immigration detainees clashed with deputies in county jail Sunday night, angered over random searches and confiscated homemade alcohol.

The disturbance lasted for about seven hours at Theo Lacy Jail, sheriff's officials said, when immigration detainees refused to go back to their beds. The altercation escalated with several detainees began throwing chairs and tying the doors to the barracks open so deputies could not lock them inside.

Inmates walk back to their barracks at Theo Lacy Jail in this file photo.

The Orange County Register

The conflict is believed to have been the result of random searches conducted by deputies, said John McDonald, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Deputies have been conducting random searches of the barracks where about 330 ICE detainees are held at Theo Lacy jail and had discovered several batches of homemade wine – commonly known as pruno.

Since Oct. 2010, the Orange County Sheriff's Department began housing immigration detainees as part of a contract with Homeland Security. The handling of ICE detainees has been tranquil since the sheriff's department began contracting with the federal government to house the detainees, McDonald said. This is the first known clash between the two.

The altercation began at about 10:30 p.m. as deputies were trying to get detainees to return to their beds, McDonald said. The detainees then began to throw things and tried to tie the doors.

About 200 of the 330 detainees being held at Theo Lacy are believed to have been active participants in the disturbance.

Officials called in an emergency response team, which is made up of deputies trained to deal with such altercations, he said.

"Through the use of pepper balls, order was restored," McDonald said.

Federal administrative hearings for the detainees were cancelled for the day, but all other operations have returned to normal by 5:30 a.m. Monday, he said. ICE officials were called to inspect the situation at the jail.

No injuries were reported from deputies or detainees, he said.

Deputies have been conducting random searches of detainee barracks and finding several pieces of contraband, McDonald said. Among the items confiscated were batches of alcohol made by detainees inside the jail.

Known as pruno or prison wine, the alcoholic drink is made from items that inmates set aside from their regular meals, including fruits and condiments.

Contact the writer: shernandez@ocregister.com or 949-454-7361

http://www.ocregister.com/news/detainee ... -jail.html

Why even put up with this send em'packin

Known as pruno or prison wine, the alcoholic drink is made from items that inmates set aside from their regular meals, including fruits and condiments.

"Also known as Hooch, jail Ale, sterno, jail cocktail, Incider, Sangria, and a whole slew of other names!"

They got to have that alcohol don't they?