A reserve officer in Maine has been arrested by ICE for allegedly trying to buy a firearm illegally. John Luke Evans, a Jamaican national and reserve officer at the Old Orchard Beach Police Station, was taken into custody on July 25, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), according to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations.
The situation unfolded when concerns about Evans’s immigration status arose during his attempt to purchase a weapon.
The judge has now allowed Evans the option of voluntary departure, meaning he can leave the United States at his own cost instead of being deported. Federal reports indicate that he entered the U.S. legally via Miami International Airport on September 24, 2023, under a visa that required him to leave by October 1, 2023. However, he reportedly could not depart on time and thus became unauthorized to remain in the country.
Currently, ICE officials are probing how Evans was employed as a police officer and if he was provided with a department-issued weapon. Patricia H. Hyde, director of the Boston field office, expressed deep concerns about this incident, emphasizing the need to hold accountable those who violate immigration laws and potentially endanger public safety.
Interestingly, Police Chief Ellis Chard mentioned that federal officials stated Evans was legally eligible to work in the U.S., noting that necessary documentation had been processed through the Department of Homeland Security’s e-verify system. She reaffirmed the town’s commitment to comply with all applicable employment laws, ensuring they verify eligibility through standard procedures.
