A Colombian immigrant and local worker who was publicly detained by immigration enforcement has been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly using a fraudulent immigration document and social security number.
Jorge Elieser González Ochoa was arrested by plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials at Bread Garden Market on Sept. 25. Bystander video of the arrest showed the officers wrestling González to the ground as he repeatedly shouted “ayuda,” Spanish for “help.” He was eventually taken away in an unmarked van.
Escucha Mi Voz Iowa, the Iowa City-based immigrant worker rights organization, said González’s arrest was a “kidnapping.”
An ICE statement shared with the Press-Citizen said González was in the country illegally and his arrest was “a lawful, intelligence-driven enforcement action” based on a fraud investigation.
González’s arrest sparked a large protest in Iowa City on Sept. 26. His fiancée, Laura Castro, saying he was “working for his family, so that we could have a better life.”
González did not appear in ICE’s online database on Oct. 20. He also does not appear in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons’ online database.
Federal records show he was scheduled for an appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa in Davenport at 2:45 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 20.
González was previously held in Linn County, according to ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System.
Indictment based on use of fake immigration, Social Security documents
González was indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts on Oct. 9, according to the federal court’s data system. He is charged with fraud and misuse of documents, use of an immigration identification document that was not lawfully issued and false representation of a social security document.
González allegedly used a “permanent residency card” and a social security card while knowing that he was not the individual to whom it was issued, according to the charges listed in the indictment. González allegedly used the false social security number to deceive a company, according to the indictment.
Court documents do not specify what company is being reffered to. González was an employee of Bread Garden Market and was wearing the business’s t-shirt during his arrest.
González is also known as Elijah Rodriguez according to the indictment.
A federal arrest warrant, signed by Chief Judge Stephen B. Jackson, said González was arrested on Oct. 11. Court records indicate he was apprehended on Oct. 15.
Prosecutors asked the court on Wednesday, Oct. 15, to allow González’s detention. Judge Jackson granted a temporary order of detention that same day.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa City man indicted for fraudulent use of immigration, social security documents
Reporting by Ryan Hansen, Iowa City Press-Citizen / Iowa City Press-Citizen
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
