Suit says county held man illegally for federal agents
MICHELLE BRADFORD

Benton County jailers illegally held an inmate on behalf of Northwest Arkansas’ Immigration Criminal Apprehension Task Force for 3 1 / 2 days, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in U. S. District Court. According to the suit, Amilcar DeJesus Lopez-Santos of Gentry was held without proper documentation or authority from U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Lopez-Santos posted $ 3, 000 bond Friday on charges of driving without a license, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, and careless and prohibited driving, the suit states. Ken Swindle of Rogers, one of Lopez-Santos’ attorneys, said his client should have been released from jail when he posted bond, but officials held him until Tuesday. According to the suit, federal law requires jails to have an immigration “detainerâ€