Jamaican national jailed for more than 4 years for obstructing deportation
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency said on Wednesday that US District Judge Marcia Morales Howard of Jacksonville, Fl. has sentenced an unidentified Jamaican man, charged as “John Doe,” to four years and three months in US federal prison for obstructing his removal from the United States.
ICE said the Jamaican man refused to reveal his identity to officials with its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
A federal jury found “John Doe” guilty on Feb. 15, 2022, ICE said.
“This individual has a violent and egregious criminal history of non-compliance with many US laws,” said ERO Miami Field Office Director Garrett Ripa. “His extensive criminal past is a threat to public safety.
“The men and women of ERO Miami will continue to focus on protecting our nation against individuals who are a threat to our communities,” he added.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, “Doe” was first encountered by immigration authorities in January 1985 in Miami, when he attempted to enter the United States from Jamaica by claiming to be a US citizen named “Freddie Davis”.
ICE said that when authorities determined that he was not a US citizen, he was allowed to voluntarily return to Jamaica.
But ICE said “Doe” attempted to enter the US again the next month in West Palm Beach, Florida, claiming to be a citizen of the Bahamas and using a fraudulent Bahamian passport in the name of “Joseph Gordon”.
“This ruse was discovered, and he was deported to Jamaica,” ICE said.
Sometime later, at an unknown place and time, it said “Doe” successfully entered the United States illegally.
ICE said he was encountered by immigration authorities in Dallas, Texas in September 1988, after serving a prison sentence.
“’Doe’ said then that his name was ‘Joseph Gordon’ and at first said that he was a US citizen born in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, but later said that he was a citizen of the Bahamas,” ICE said.
It said an immigration judge subsequently ordered him to be deported to Jamaica, but he was not deported at that time.
In June 2018, after completing a prison sentence in Florida, ICE said “Doe” was taken into custody by ICE agents in Miami, this time using the name “Ricardo Jones”, the name under which he was convicted.
“Because Doe’s identity could not conclusively be determined, the Jamaican authorities told ICE they needed more information to verify that he was a Jamaican citizen,” ICE said.
Over the next several months, ICE said it and Jamaican authorities attempted to determine “Doe’s” identity but were unsuccessful.
ICE said “Doe” was repeatedly warned that he could be prosecuted if he continued to obstruct his deportation.
On Jan. 18, 2019, ICE said “Doe” was scheduled for an interview with the Jamaican Consulate, “but he refused to speak to them”.
When an ICE officer asked him his name, he responded “Only God knows my name,” according to ICE.
Later that month, “Doe” was transferred to ICE custody in Baker County in Florida.
In March 2019, ICE said it again attempted to obtain a travel document to deport “Doe” to Jamaica.
ICE said the Jamaican Consulate once again informed ICE that it could not issue a travel document for “Doe”, “because there was no conclusive evidence that ‘Doe’ was a citizen of Jamaica”.
ICE said it scheduled “Doe” for a telephone interview with the Jamaican Consulate on April 9, 2019, “but he refused to leave his dormitory for the interview”.
Another interview was scheduled for April 17, 2019. ICE said “Doe went but refused to provide any information”.
“He advised that his name was ‘Ricardo Jones’, but would not provide any other information,” ICE said.
On Jun. 20 and Jul. 23, 2019, ICE said it conducted recorded interviews of ‘Doe’ to again attempt to obtain biographical information that might allow him to be identified.
During these interviews, after stating that his name was “Freddie Davis”, ICE said ‘Doe’ refused to provide any other information, saying that ICE already had all the information they needed.
In addition to the identities discussed above, ICE said “Doe” has also used the names “Dave Davis”, “Patrick Melbourne”, “Frank Douglas” and “Danny Brooks” while he has been illegally present in the United States.
