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Immigrant turned over to authorities after making complaint
January 28, 2006, 10:11 AM EST

GREENWICH, Conn. (AP) _ A man who had been deported to Mexico for stalking and involvement in gang shootings was turned over to immigration authorities by Greenwich police when he went to make a harassment complaint.

Police say Jorge Prado Gonzalez, 34, illegally returned to the U.S. after being deported. He was accused of involvement in gang activity in California and of stalking a woman in Anchorage, Alaska.

Lt. Richard Cochran said an agent from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Investigative Unit took Gonzalez into custody Friday, a day after he went to Greenwich police to complain he was being harassed.

The agency is holding Gonzalez because of immigration violations, a spokeswoman said.

Cochran said that while Gonzalez was providing information to police, he gave them a forged Mexican-issued ID card.

The officer ran Gonzalez's name through a national crime database, which is standard procedure, and found there was a warrant for him to be deported again.

Capt. David Ridberg said police don't usually report undocumented residents to immigration officials unless there is a law enforcement need. Police are concerned that immigrants aren't reporting crimes because they're afraid of being deported.

"In the normal course of a Greenwich police officer's dealings with somebody, (immigration status) is only germane in determining bond," Ridberg said. "We're not in the business of deporting people."