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A deputy officer in Colorado, who was sued by Attorney General Phil Weiser for allegedly sharing information with federal immigration agents in violation of state law, is still under investigation and could potentially face a significant fine.
Lawrence Pacheco, the director of communications at the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, stated in an email to Fox News Digital that the complaint against the deputy is a civil lawsuit, not criminal. Violations of these laws can lead to an injunction and civil penalties of up to $50,000.
Mesa County Sheriff’s Deputy Alexander Zwinck, along with another deputy, faced disciplinary action from the sheriff’s office for allegedly sharing information with federal immigration agents during the arrest of a Brazilian college student with an expired visa, as reported by The Associated Press.
Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell explained that the student, Caroline Dias-Goncalves, was pulled over by Zwinck for a traffic violation on June 5. Although she was released with a warning, federal immigration agents detained her shortly after the traffic stop.
Following the incident, Zwinck was placed on three weeks of unpaid leave, while the other deputy, Erik Olson, was placed on two weeks of unpaid leave. Both deputies were also removed from the task force.
Supervisors involved in the situation also faced disciplinary measures, with one suspended without pay for two days and another receiving a letter of reprimand. A third supervisor received counseling.
In a statement, Sheriff Todd Rowell expressed regret over the incident and apologized to Dias-Goncalves. He acknowledged that there was a breach in collaboration agreements with federal partners, leading to the deputies’ involvement in immigration enforcement.
Earlier this year, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed legislation that prohibits local governments from sharing immigration information with federal immigration officials.
Kristi Burton Brown, executive vice president of Advance Colorado, explained that the new law allows for cooperation with the federal government in specific crime investigations upon request. However, there is a strict ban on local law enforcement proactively notifying the Department of Homeland Security about illegal immigrants who are violent criminals or repeat felons.
Representative Gabe Evans, a former police officer, criticized the law for hindering law enforcement’s ability to cooperate with federal authorities in many circumstances, claiming that it prioritizes political agendas over public safety.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
