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A Maine reserve police officer arrested by ICE for allegedly trying to buy a firearm illegally has agreed to leave the country, the agency said.
Jon Luke Evans, a reserve officer with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department, and a Jamaican national, was arrested on July 25 with help from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), according to ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Evans was taken into custody after a firearm purchase attempt raised concerns tied to his immigration status.
A judge has now granted Evans voluntary departure, giving him the ability to leave the U.S. at his own expense rather than face deportation.
Reports by federal authorities claim he legally entered the United States through Miami International Airport on Sept. 24, 2023. Evans was reportedly under a visa that required his departure by Oct. 1, 2023, but he failed to leave as required and has been in the U.S. unlawfully since.
ICE officials are now investigating how he was hired by the local police agency and if he was given a department-issued weapon.
“This case raises serious concerns,” said Patricia H. Hyde, acting field office director for ERO Boston. “We will continue working to ensure that individuals who violate immigration laws and pose potential threats to public safety are held accountable.”
Police Chief Elise Chard says they were told by federal officials that Evans was legally permitted to work in the country and that proper documentation was submitted via the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify program.
“The town reiterates its ongoing commitment to meeting all state and federal laws regarding employment,” Chard said in a statement. “We will continue to rely on the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form and the E-Verify database to confirm employment eligibility.”
Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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