Criminals and rapists are being knowingly released onto the street by a sheriff. Why? So he can fulfill his campaign promise.

A North Carolina sheriff finds himself in the national spotlight and on the defensive for his decision to end a voluntary program with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden had only been sworn into office less than a week in December of 2018, according to Fox New46, when he informed Immigration and Customs Enforcement that his department and officers would no longer participate in the 287(g) program which had been in place since 2006.

According to the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement website the:

“(ICE) 287(g) Program enhances the safety and security of communities by creating partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies to identify and remove aliens who are amenable to removal from the United States.”

The website goes on to explain:

“This section of law authorizes the Director of ICE to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies, that permit designated officers to perform limited immigration law enforcement functions.”

It is also written in the definition of 287(g)-officers of state or municipal agencies that participate in this program receive specialized training, and are supervised by ICE officers. Overall the goal of ICE 287(g) as explained by their website is to:

“Allow state and local officers to act as a force multiplier in the identification, arrest, and service of warrants and detainers of incarcerated foreign-born individuals with criminal charges or convictions. Those deemed amenable to removal are identified while still secure in state or local custody, potentially reducing the time the alien spends in ICE custody.”

Sheriff McFadden made it known upon taking control of Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office that he was not interested in assisting ICE with the 287(g) programs.

According to multiple news outlets, McFadden argued that no voluntary program should be considered and viewed as mandatory by ICE, and that the promise to eliminate this voluntary program participation was a promise he ran on during his election for Sheriff.

McFadden told reporters in a news statement in December of 2018:

“Today I’m ending ICE’s 287(g) program in Mecklenburg County and joining the majority of police and sheriff departments around the country who have declined to do ICE’s bidding because it erodes trust with our community and ties up critical resources that should be used to ensure public safety.”

Currently McFadden is being publicly ridiculed by ICE for multiple incidents of releasing illegal immigrants on bail without holding them with ICE detailers.

The first incident involved the release of a Honduran national, who is in the country illegally, after he was charged with multiple serious crimes.

Luis Pineda-Anchecta who, according to Fox New 46, was first arrested at the start of May for domestic violence charges. It is reported that he made bail shortly after being taken into custody.

However, Pineda-Ancheta’s freedom did not last long, and he was accused of committing other crimes. According to reports, when police attempted to take Pineda-Achecta into custody later in May for charges including- kidnapping, strangulation, and assault on a female- the arrest resulting in a 9 hour stand off with police.

According to WCNC news, after the standoff ended and Pineda-Achecta was taken into custody, but able to post bail within two days of being arrested.

More details on that particular case below.

Pineda-Achecta was eventually taken into custody by ICE, as reported by WCNC news, ICE made a statement that:

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested unlawfully present Honduran national Luis Pineda-Anchecta during a targeted enforcement operation in Charlotte June 2 following his release from local criminal custody after the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office refused to honor an ICE detainer, nor even notify ICE of his release, and instead released an unlawfully present foreign national facing serious criminal charges onto the streets of Charlotte.

Mr. Pineda-Anchecta now faces federal felony prosecution for illegally reentering the U.S. after deportation. After the resolution of that federal prosecution he is subject to removal again to Honduras.”

This month Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office released another Honduran national who is in the country illegally and most recently arrested on charges of child rape. Oscar Pacheco-Leonardo, was released from the Sheriff’s office, after they refused to honor the ICE retainer.

It took nearly two months for ICE to track down and take Pacheco-Leonardo back into their custody.

As reported by multiple news agencies, Atlanta ICE Field Office Director Sean Gallagher made a public statement:

“This is yet another example of a clear public safety threat being released onto the streets of Mecklenburg County rather than into ICE custody due to the current sheriff’s policy on ICE non-cooperation.”

Business and Politics online reported that Gallagher also explained in his public statement:

“The Mecklenburg County sheriff’s decision to restrict cooperation with ICE serves as an open invitation to aliens who commit criminal offenses that Mecklenburg County is a safe haven for persons seeking to evade federal authorities, and residents of Mecklenburg County are less safe today than last year due these policies.”

It is reported that there are over 20 incidents of the Sheriff’s office not assisting or honoring retainer agreements.

Although ICE is publicly ridiculing Sheriff McFadden’s not to honor ICE detainers, the Sheriff is not backing down stating to reporting:

“Bonds are not set by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, We do not have any part of the bonds being set, and we do not have any part of the magistrate releasing these individuals.”

Sources say that McFadden has no intention even now of supporting the voluntarily detainer program through ICE.