SEATTLE, WA — Just after noon on Dec. 2, a Seattle police officer was called to the Goodwill store along Dearborn Street in the International District. A loss prevention officer had caught a homeless man trying to steal 12 items worth about $107.

On May 21, that homeless man, Dennis Barahona-Posadas, will go to federal prison for nearly a year. At the end of that term, he will almost definitely be deported. His case shows how perilous the local criminal justice system can be for the homeless and immigrants as ICE increases enforcement, and as local retailers seek the maximum punishment for misdemeanor crimes.

After his arrest at Goodwill, Barahona-Posadas spent one night in the King County Jail before being released on $1,000 bail. On Dec. 31, he went Seattle Municipal Court for a hearing on the theft charge, a crime that carries a maximum penalty under city code of a year in jail or a $5,000 fine, or both.

Unknown to Barahona-Posadas, ICE agents had spotted his name on the King County Jail roster, according to court records. They were able to use public records to figure out when he would appear in court.

On Dec. 31, the agents had Seattle Municipal Court under surveillance, waiting for Barahona-Posadas to step outside. When he did, they moved in to make an arrest. Barahona-Posadas ran, but was arrested nearby after a brief foot chase. He's now facing a charge of illegal reentry after deportation. In King County, the sheriff's office does not hold prisoners at the jail on ICE administrative warrants. But ICE agents have found ways around these policies, and Barahona-Posadas was one of the few instances in the Seattle area of ICE making an arrest at a courthouse. In other parts of the state, the practice is more common. The Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network recently told Crosscut that there's been an uptick in arrests at courthouses around the state.



Barahona-Posadas also made the mistake of stealing from the local retailer most likely to press theft charges.



Recent reporting by KUOW showed that Goodwill pursues the most theft prosecutions of any retailer in Seattle, and the most against homeless people. Between November 2017 and November 2018, Goodwill pressed theft charges against 318 people, 93 who were homeless. Target came in a close second at 314 cases total, 55 against homeless people, according to KUOW.

In response, CEO Daryl Campbell and Vice President Barbara Nabors-Glass said in a statement that Goodwill is tough on thieves to be "good stewards of the gifts that we receive," referring to donations. The company later said it would review theft policies.