ICE Arrests Jamaican Reserve Police Officer for Alleged Firearm Purchase

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained a Jamaican national, John Luke Evans, who is accused of attempting to illegally buy firearms while serving as a reserve police officer in Old Orchard Beach.

The arrest was facilitated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Boston alongside the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) after Evans attempted a firearms purchase related to his immigration status in Vidddeford on July 25th.

Evans legally entered the US via Miami International Airport on September 24, 2023, under a visa that required him to leave by October 1, 2023. During the investigation, he allegedly stated that he intended to acquire a firearm for his duties at the Old Orchard Beach Police Department.

ICE officials are now expressing concern over how individuals without legal immigration status are being hired by local police departments and are being given weapons.

“This situation raises serious questions,” said Patricia H. Hyde, director of the Boston ERO office. “We are committed to ensuring that those who break immigration laws and may pose a risk to public safety are held accountable.”

In a related incident, earlier arrests by ICE included that of Gratien Mirandau Wamba, a Congolese national, who also attempted to illegally purchase a firearm while working as an immigration enforcement officer. His arrest took place in Falmouth, Maine.

ICE is continuing its enforcement actions across New England and collaborating with federal agencies to identify and apprehend individuals in sensitive public safety roles who are suspected of immigration violations.