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FIRST ON FOX – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested a Jamaican national for allegedly attempting to purchase a firearm illegally while employed as a reserve police officer in Old Orchard Beach.
According to ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Boston, Jon Luke Evans was taken into custody with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) after his firearm purchase attempt raised concerns tied to his immigration status on July 25 in Biddeford.
Federal authorities say Evans legally entered the United States through Miami International Airport on Sept. 24, 2023, under a visa that required his departure by Oct. 1, 2023. He failed to leave as required and has remained in the country unlawfully since.
During the investigation, Evans reportedly claimed he was seeking to purchase the firearm for use in his role with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department.
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ICE arrests illegal alien serving as a local police officer after attempting to unlawfully purchase firearm in Maine. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
ICE officials are now questioning how an individual without lawful immigration status was hired by a local police agency and possibly issued 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.”
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ICE officials say Jamaican national Jon Luke Evans attempted to illegally purchase firearm for his employment as a local police officer (Old Orchard Beach Police Department Facebook)
The arrest of Evans follows a similar case from April, in which ICE officers detained another illegal immigrant law enforcement employee in Falmouth, Maine.
Gratien Milandou Wamba, a 32-year-old Congolese national, was working as a corrections officer when he was apprehended by ICE for immigration violations after allegedly attempting to purchase a firearm illegally.
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A reserve police officer from Old Orchard Beach was arrested by ICE after attempting to purchase a firearm while residing in the U.S. unlawfully since October 2023. (Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston field office arrested Gratien Milandou Wamba, an illegally present, 32-year-old citizen of Congo,” ICE Spokesperson James Covington, noting the arrest stemmed from an unlawful firearm purchase attempt.
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ICE emphasized that it will continue enforcement efforts across New England, working in coordination with other federal agencies to identify and apprehend individuals in violation of U.S. immigration laws, especially those employed in sensitive public safety positions.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com