2 detainees escape Aurora ICE facility during power outage, 1 captured

• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has expressed frustration with the Aurora Police Department after two detainees, Geilond Vido-Romero and Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, escaped from an ICE detention facility on March 18. A few days later, on March 21, ICE announced Gonzalez-Gonzalez was back in federal custody.
• The detainees escaped around 9:30 p.m. through an unlocked exit, and ICE officials noticed their absence 30 minutes later, confirming it at 12:30 a.m.
• Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain explained the department’s response protocols, and assured residents that an active investigation is underway to determine if the escapees have any connection to the city.

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After two detainees escaped from an Aurora detention facility during a power outage earlier this week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that one of the men is back in custody as of March 21.

ICE identified the detainee as Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, who was apprehended by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. A deputy came into contact with a suspicious person, which the office later confirmed to be Gonzalez-Gonzalez. After notifying ICE, he was released to ICE agents.

The escape earlier this week prompted frustration from ICE toward the Aurora Police Department. ICE officials said local police did not assist in the initial search, while the APD maintained the department followed proper protocol during the incident.

What was the timeline of the event?

According to the APD, the two detainees, Geilond Vido-Romero and Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, escaped the facility on the night of Tuesday, March 18, around 9:30 p.m., through an unlocked exit.

Thirty minutes later, ICE officials noticed that the men were missing, and later confirmed their suspicions at 12:30 a.m. after conducting an emergency head count.

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An ICE GEO representative called 911 shortly after, reporting the escape and requesting APD assistance. However, due to limited and unclear information, an APD watch commander reached out to ICE for clarification.

It was revealed the escape had occurred about four and a half hours before the call.

How does the police department respond to escapes?

Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain explained that, under the department’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ICE and GEO, there are two types of escape reports: hot and cold.

During a hot escape, police immediately report the escape, typically within 15 minutes. Authorities then set up a perimeter and locate the escapees.

However, police deemed this incident a cold escape. Officers reported the escape more than 15 minutes after it happened, with Aurora police officially responding at 5:15 a.m.

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Before the escape, police arrested both detainees on local charges before transferring them to the ICE detention facility. The Aurora Police Department is continuing its investigation to locate the escapees, but said there is currently no evidence linking them to the city.

The department later released a statement on the subject, saying in part, “The city of Aurora did not create this situation, but I want to assure our residents that an active investigation is underway to determine if these individuals have any connection with Aurora. If these two men are hiding out in our city, we will find them and return them to custody.”