The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has re-arrested an undocumented immigrant, Carlos Cortecorte, who is accused of kidnapping a 4-year-old girl from a laundromat in Long Island last month. This happened after a local judge had previously released him amid concerns about his presence in the community.
Cortecorte, originally from Ecuador, was initially taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on March 31, and is now undergoing deportation proceedings, according to the DHS on Monday.
It’s reported that he allegedly took the child from the back of Patchogue’s Laundry Kingdom on March 28 while her mother was unaware, with Suffolk County police later locating the girl at a nearby library.
After authorities arrested him on charges of second-degree kidnapping and other offenses, he was released on supervised release the following day.
DHS expressed its frustration over the situation, stating that “sanctuary politicians” allowed Cortecorte to return to society after his initial arrest. They claim he had illegally crossed the border into the U.S. at least three times in 2020 and was deported on each occasion.
Before the attempted kidnapping incident, he had entered the country unlawfully again, but the specifics are unclear.
“This three-time deported illegal alien kidnapped an innocent child,” Acting Assistant Secretary of State Lauren Biss commented, criticizing New York’s approach to immigration laws and suggesting that the politicians in charge prioritize politics over public safety.
She also indicated that such policies foster more crime and create additional victims. “Thanks to ICE law enforcement, this disease is gone from our streets,” she added.
Cortecorte had been under supervised release with a GPS monitor after being let go without bail by Suffolk County District Judge James F. Leonick. The district attorney, Ray Tierney, voiced his disagreement with the judge’s decision to release the accused. “If you look at the facts of the case, I think it’s clearly concerning,” he mentioned.
On the other hand, Cortecorte’s public defender suggested that the kidnapping charges might stem from a miscommunication, claiming that they believed the girl was living independently. The attorney commented that he took her to the library and communicated with the staff, but language barriers could have caused confusion. “It seems like it was a mistake,” the lawyer argued.
