Accused felon found hiding in bedroom

By Mike Irwin
World staff writer

Saturday, November 19, 2011


BRIDGEPORT — Family members tried to hide him, but eventually a man Douglas County law officers say is an illegal immigrant and repeat offender was located Friday and arrested.

Miguel Torres Gomez, 46, of Bridgeport, sought for weeks on an immigration warrant, was found hiding in a bedroom of a family member’s home around 7:20 p.m. He was arrested without incident by members of the county’s Special Response Team and transported to the Okanogan County Corrections Center.

Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal said Torres Gomez had been sought two weeks ago on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) warrant, but couldn’t be located. Deputies were tipped off recently that Torres Gomez could be at his family’s home in Bridgeport.

Initially, family members told deputies Torres Gomez was not at the house, said Gjesdal. But deputies persisted and found him hiding in the bedroom.

The sheriff said Torres Gomez had been listed as a “deported aggravated felonâ€