Deputies of the Sheriff Received Disciplinary Sanctions for Assisting Immigration Agents

• Sheriff's deputies from Colorado received sanctions for collaborating with ICE.
• A student from Brazil was detained after a traffic stop.
• The Attorney General filed a lawsuit against one of the deputies.

Two sheriff's deputies in Colorado received disciplinary sanctions for violating state law by assisting federal agents in carrying out the arrests of immigrants. This occurred after one of the deputies, Alexander Zvyink, shared information in a group chat that included federal immigration agents during the traffic stop of a student from Brazil, Karoline Dias-Gonzalves.

The incident occurred on June 5, 2025, when Dias-Gonzalves was stopped for violating traffic rules. After the stop, she was detained by immigration agents and spent two weeks in an immigrant detention center. Sheriff of Mesa County, Todd Raoul, confirmed that the actions of the deputies violate a new law, which prohibits local authorities from sharing information about the immigration status of individuals.

After an internal investigation, Zvyink received three days of unpaid leave, while Eric Olson, another deputy, received two days. Two other deputies were also reprimanded. Raoul expressed regret over the incident and stated before Dias-Gonzalves that the sheriff's office had no role in this situation.

In connection with this, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser filed a lawsuit against Zvyink, asserting that he violated state laws that restrict cooperation with federal immigration agencies. Raoul declined Weiser's request to take action, stating that this sends a demoralizing message for other law enforcement officers in the state.

Tags: USA/Crime