Police Officer in Maine Arrested on Suspicion of Unlawful Possession

• Jon-Luke Evans was arrested by ICE for attempting to purchase a firearm.
• The police stated that all procedures were followed during the hiring of Evans.
• The local government is investigating allegations of unlawful hiring of a police officer.

This was reported by ABC News, NBC News.

The arrest of the police officer in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, has sparked a dispute between the local police department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency confirms that Jon-Luke Evans, a Jamaican citizen, was arrested on July 25 after attempting to unlawfully purchase a firearm, which was reported to be part of an ATF investigation.

ICE reports that Evans entered the U.S. legally on February 24, 2023, but overstayed the terms of his visa. According to ICE, hiring a police officer who resides in the country unlawfully is a serious violation of the law. Meanwhile, the chief of the Old Orchard Beach Police Department, Elise Chard, insists that the department followed all necessary procedures during the hiring of Evans, including using the E-Verify program to check his legal status.

Chard emphasized that DHS confirmed that Evans was authorized to work until December 2030. She stated that the department conducted a thorough review of his documents and did not receive any warnings about his status at the time of the arrest.

In response to criticism from ICE, city manager Diana Asanza stated that they fully trust the E-Verify system. She stressed that if the federal government identifies problems with Evans' documents, they would not be the first to know.

This incident highlights the importance of reliable federal systems for maintaining the lawful employment of non-residents in roles that serve the community. Maine State Representative Lori K. Gramlich called for a comprehensive review of the E-Verify system to prevent similar situations in the future.

Tags: USA/Crime