Trio arrested in drug sweep still not identified (Nashua Telegraph)

Trio arrested in drug sweep still not identified
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
– ANDREW WOLFE

NASHUA – The federal Department of Homeland Security has refused to identify the three people, including one U.S. citizen, that its agents took into custody from Nashua.

City police divulged earlier this month that three Nashua residents were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of a nationwide sweep targeting street gangs.

A spokesman with the agency in Boston, Chuck Jackson, responded to The Telegraph’s request for further information. He confirmed the three arrests but refused to name the people arrested or reveal their current custody or bail status, all of which is information routinely released by state and local police forces.

Jackson identified the people arrested as follows:

“Male, 18, from Dominican Republic, with legal permanent residence status and a non-violent member of the Folk Nation gang, arrested on 2/8 on a criminal drug charge.

“Male, 19, from Mexico, non-violent associate of the Folk Nation gang, arrested on 2/9 on administrative immigration charges.

“Male, 18, U.S. citizen, non-violent associate of the Folk Nation gang, arrested on 2/8 on a criminal drug charge.”

Police and federal law enforcements routinely, though temporarily, withhold arrest information when in the midst of an ongoing investigation. Jackson didn’t say whether that was the case, however.

Federal authorities released a press release early this month announcing the sweep and some 700 arrests nationwide.