A 32-year-old man from China died by suicide this week while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a facility in central Pennsylvania. Officials identified the man as Chaofeng Ge, who had been held at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Philipsburg.
Circumstances surrounding his death
According to ICE, staff discovered Ge hanging by his neck in the showroom early Tuesday morning. They say he was unresponsive when found. Staff attempted CPR and contacted local EMS, Pennsylvania State Police and the Clearfield County Coroner.
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Ge was pronounced dead at 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to the coroner.
Pennsylvania State Police determined the death to be a suicide and found a handwritten note, according to reporting from ABC News. No foul play is suspected.
In a statement to ABC, the Department of Homeland Security said, “All in-custody deaths are tragic, taken seriously and thoroughly investigated by law enforcement. ICE takes its commitment to promoting safe, secure, humane environments for those in our custody very seriously.”
Ge’s arrest and custody history
Ge had been in ICE custody for five days, awaiting a hearing before the DOJ’s Executive Office for Immigration Review.
ABC News discovered that he was arrested in January at a CVS in Lower Paxton Township, where he was accused of using a fraudulent credit card to purchase gift cards. Police later found numerous stolen credit cards in his possession.
He was charged with criminal use of a communication facility, unlawful use of a computer and access device fraud.
Ge, who had been living in Queens, New York, eventually pleaded guilty in July to accessing another person’s device and conspiracy. He served time in prison and was later released into ICE custody on a detainer.
After being processed at the ICE office in York, Pennsylvania, he was transferred to Moshannon Valley Processing Center — a privately run facility managed by GEO Group.
ICE says Ge received medical, dental and mental health screenings upon arrival, per standard agency protocol.
