KENT COUNTY, Mich. — The Kent County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) voiced its commitment to ensuring the proper handling of illegal immigrants after a man was charged with the shooting death of Ruby Garcia last week.
Garcia was found dead March 23 on US-131 in Grand Rapids.
Michigan State Police (MSP) and the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office announced charges Tuesday against Brandon Ortiz-Vite. A spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) explained he was in the U.S. illegally.
Deputies say Ortiz-Vite was lodged at the sheriff’s office in 2020. An ICE detainer was filed, prompting his transfer to ICE custody, per department protocol. He was deported thereafter.
We’re told KCSO transferred 26 individuals lodged in the Kent County Correctional Facility to ICE custody last year. Ten more were handed over to ICE since the start of 2024.
“The Kent County Sheriff's Office is committed to transparency and collaboration with all law enforcement agencies, including ICE, to safeguard our community while upholding the highest standards of legal and ethical responsibility,“ the department writes.
READ MORE: Docs: Suspect admits to shooting woman, leaving her on US-131
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