ICE Detains Immigrant Accused of Kidnapping in New York
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has apprehended a man who was previously released back into the community after allegedly abducting a 4-year-old girl from a laundromat in New York, as reported.
Carlos Cortecorte, 38, from Ecuador, was taken into custody on March 31 and is now facing deportation proceedings following an incident that occurred on March 28 at Laundry Kingdom in Patchogue.
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Biss stated, “Three-time deported illegal alien Carlos Cortecorte kidnapped an innocent 4-year-old girl from a laundromat on Long Island. Rather than support ICE, New York sanctuary politicians made the decision to release this kidnapper back into society, allowing him to potentially target more children.”
She added, “Sanctuary politicians must prioritize public safety over politics. This kind of recklessness leads to more crimes and additional victims.”
According to the Suffolk County Police Department, the situation unfolded around noon on March 28. A mother was at the laundromat with her two children when Cortecorte, unknown to her, took her daughter out through a back door.
After the girl’s mother reported her missing, patrol officers arrived at the scene, reviewed surveillance footage, and began searching nearby. Thankfully, the mother found her daughter in a children’s play area at the Patchogue-Medford Library. Meanwhile, officers located Cortecorte near the laundromat and arrested him.
Cortecorte now faces charges of second-degree kidnapping and child endangerment.
Interestingly, a day after his arrest, a Suffolk County district judge allowed Cortecorte to be released under GPS monitoring. This decision drew criticism from Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, who expressed concern about the case.
A public defender for Cortecorte suggested in court that there may have been a misunderstanding, commenting, “I thought the girl lived alone, without her parents. He took her to the library and informed the staff, but there was a language barrier. Apparently, it was a mistake.”
Fox News Digital has contacted the Department of Homeland Security seeking further clarification on the matter.
