Sheriff's deputies are disciplined in traffic stop that led to student's ICE detention
An administrative review concluded that Sheriff's Deputy Alexander Zwinck shared information on a Signal group chat that included federal immigration agents after he had pulled over Caroline Dias-Goncalves, 19, a student at the University of Utah, Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell said in a statement Wednesday.
The agents then used that information to track Dias-Goncalves down and arrest her. She was taken to a detention facility in Aurora, where she was held for 15 days before being released on bond.
"The Mesa County Sheriff's Office should not have had any role in the chain of events leading to Miss Dias-Goncalves's detention," Rowell said.
Colorado law restricts coordination between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. It prohibits state and local law enforcement from providing information about a person's immigration status to federal officials or disclosing personal identifying information to immigration authorities.
"I regret that this occurred. I apologize to Miss Dias-Goncalves," Rowell said.
Zwinck pulled Dias-Goncalves over while she was driving on Interstate 70 outside Loma on June 5. Zwinck claimed Dias-Goncalves was driving too close to a semi-truck.
The traffic stop lasted about 20 minutes and Zwinck released Dias-Goncalves with a warning. Shortly after she exited the highway, federal immigration agents stopped her, arrested her and took her to the Aurora detention facility, where she was held until June 20.
Born in Brazil and raised in Utah since she was 7, Dias-Goncalves is one of nearly 2.5 million people living in the United States known as 'Dreamers,' young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Dias-Goncalves arrived on a visa that expired over a decade ago and has a pending asylum case.
In interviews conducted as part of the review, Zwinck claimed he did not know he was violating any laws or policies when he shared Dias-Goncalves' information and location with federal authorities in a group chat meant to discuss drug crackdown efforts.
According to the review's findings, Zwinck was involved in at least four other incidents last month in which the information he shared on the group chat following his traffic stops led to federal immigration enforcement actions.
Zwinck also told investigators that he had received and read two department-wide emails from the sheriff's office last year and in January, both outlining how deputies should interact with immigration authorities.
The review concluded there was 'a preponderance of evidence' showing that Zwinck as well as Sheriff's Deputy Erik Olson, who was on the group chat, and their supervisor, Sgt. Joe LeMoine, 'acted outside of agency policy.'
Zwinck was placed on unpaid administrative leave for three weeks and Olson for two. Both will be reassigned to patrol. LeMoine was suspended without pay for two days.
Lt. David Holdren, LeMoine's supervisor, received a letter of reprimand and Holdren's supervisor, Capt. Curtis Brammer, was provided documented counseling.
Earlier this month, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser filed a lawsuit against Zwinck, alleging that he had violated Colorado laws limiting cooperation between local and federal immigration authorities.
Rowell said the lawsuit "sends a demoralizing message to law enforcement officers across Colorado" and urged Weiser to "apply the law equally to all law enforcement and government officials instead of making Deputy Zwinck an example."
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Colorado deputies violated new state law when sharing information with federal immigration agents
Two Colorado deputies have been disciplined for sharing information with federal immigration agents, which is a violation of state law enacted a few months ago. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser sued Mesa County Sheriff's Deputy Alexander Zwinck last week after his cooperation with federal immigration agents on a drug task force was exposed during a Brazilian college student's arrest for an expired visa, according to The Associated Press. While addressing the incident on Thursday, Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell said Caroline Dias-Goncalves, a 19-year-old nursing student, was pulled over by Zwinck for a traffic stop on June 5 after she was allegedly driving too close to a semi-truck. While Dias-Goncalves was released with a warning after about 20 minutes, federal immigration agents stopped her and arrested her shortly after. Zwinck had shared her location and a description of her vehicle in a group chat that included ICE agents, Rowell said. She was arrested by ICE and taken to a detention facility, where she was held for 15 days before being released on bond. An internal investigation revealed a second Mesa County deputy and task force member, Erik Olson, also shared immigration information with federal agents. The two deputies used a Signal chat to offer information to federal agents in an effort to assist immigration enforcement, according to the sheriff's office. Zwinck was placed on three weeks of unpaid leave and Olson was placed on two weeks of unpaid leave, Rowell said in a statement. Both were removed from the task force. Two supervisors were also disciplined, with one suspended without pay for two days and another receiving a letter of reprimand. A third supervisor received counseling. "The Mesa County Sheriff's Office should not have had any role in the chain of events leading to Miss Dias-Goncalves' detention, and I regret that this occurred. I apologize to Miss Dias-Goncalves," Rowell said. Zwinck was sued under a new state law signed by Democrat Gov. Jared Polis about two weeks before Dias-Goncalves' arrest. The measure prohibits local government employees, including law enforcement, from sharing identifying information about people with federal immigration officials. Previously, only state agencies were barred from sharing such information. The law is one of several passed over the years limiting the state's involvement in immigration enforcement. It has led to a lawsuit from the Department of Justice, which alleges that the protective policies violate the U.S. Constitution or federal immigration laws. Zwinck and Olson allegedly told officials that they believed they were following long-standing procedures, though an internal investigation found they had both received and read two emails about previous limits on cooperation with immigration officials. An email sent on Jan. 30, 2025, told law enforcement specifically to not contact Homeland Security Investigations or ICE if someone being arrested for a violent crime is suspected of not being a citizen. Zwinck said at his disciplinary hearing that he was not aware of the new law nor was he interested in contributing to immigration enforcement. Olson, a longtime deputy, testified that sending information to federal agents during traffic stops was "standard practice." "It was routine for ICE to show up on the back end of a traffic stop to do their thing," Olson said. "I truly thought what we were doing was condoned by our supervision and lawful." Rowell said drug task force members from other law enforcement agencies, including the Colorado State Patrol, also shared information with immigration agents on the Signal chat, although the state patrol denied the accusation. The sheriff criticized Weiser for suing Zwinck before an internal investigation was finished and called on the attorney general to drop the lawsuit. "As it stands, the lawsuit filed by the Attorney General's Office sends a demoralizing message to law enforcement officers across Colorado — that the law may be wielded selectively and publicly for maximum political effect rather than applied fairly and consistently," he said. Weiser said last week that he was probing whether other officers in the group chat violated state law. A spokesperson for Weiser said he was presented with evidence of a "blatant violation of state law" and had to act. "The attorney general has a duty to enforce state laws and protect Coloradans, and he'll continue to do so," spokesperson Lawrence Pacheco said.
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Colorado deputies disciplined for helping federal immigration agents
DENVER -- Two Colorado deputies have been disciplined for violating state law by helping federal agents make immigration arrests, and their sheriff says officers from other agencies have done the same. One of the deputies, Alexander Zwinck, was sued by Colorado's attorney general last week, after his cooperation with federal immigration agents on a drug task force was revealed following the June arrest of a college student from Brazil with an expired visa. Following an internal investigation, a second Mesa County Sheriff's Office deputy and task force member, Erik Olson, was also found to have shared information. The two deputies used a Signal chat to relay information to federal agents, according to documents released Wednesday by the sheriff's office. Zwinck was placed on three weeks of unpaid leave, and Olson was given two weeks of unpaid leave, Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell said in a statement. Both were removed from the task force. Two supervisors also were disciplined. One was suspended without pay for two days, and another received a letter of reprimand. A third supervisor received counseling. The lawsuit and disciplinary actions come as lawmakers in Colorado and other Democratic-led states have crafted legislation intended to push back against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Since Trump took office, pro-immigrant bills have advanced through legislatures in Illinois, Vermont, California, Connecticut and other states. The measures include stronger protections for immigrants in housing, employment and police encounters. Trump has enlisted hundreds of state and local law enforcement agencies to help identify immigrants in the U.S. illegally and detain them for potential deportation. The Republican also relaxed longtime rules restricting immigration enforcement near schools, churches and hospitals. Zwinck was sued under a new state law signed by Gov. Jared Polis about two weeks before the arrest of the student from Brazil. It bars local government employees including law enforcement from sharing identifying information about people with federal immigration officials. Previously, only state agencies were barred from doing that. It's one of a series of laws limiting the state's involvement in immigration enforcement passed over the years that has drawn criticism and a lawsuit from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Justice has also sued Illinois and New York, as well as several cities in those states and New Jersey, alleging their policies violate the U.S. Constitution or federal immigration laws. Zwinck and Olson told officials they thought they were operating according to long-standing procedures. However, the internal investigation found they had both received and read two emails prior to the passage of the new law about previous limits on cooperation with immigration officials. The most recent was sent on Jan. 30, 2025, after an official for Homeland Security Investigations, part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, had asked state and local law enforcement officers at a law enforcement meeting to contact HSI or ICE if they arrested a person for a violent crime who was believed not to be a citizen, the investigation documents said. The email said not to contact HSI or ICE. Zwinck said he didn't know about the new law and was not interested in immigration enforcement. 'When I was out there, I wanted to find drugs, guns and bad guys," Zwinck said at a July 23 disciplinary hearing. "And sending that information to HSI they provided the ability to give me real time background information on the person I was in contact with,' he said. Olson, who said he had been with the sheriff's office 18 years, testified at his disciplinary hearing that it was 'standard practice' to send information up to federal agents during traffic stops. "It was routine for ICE to show up on the back end of a traffic stop to do their thing,' Olson said. 'I truly thought what we were doing was condoned by our supervision and lawful.' A lawyer at a law firm listed as representing both deputies, Michael Lowe, did not immediately return a telephone call or email seeking comment. Rowell said drug task force members from other law enforcement agencies, including the Colorado State Patrol, also shared information with immigration agents on the Signal chat. The state patrol denied the claim. The sheriff faulted Attorney General Phil Weiser for filing the lawsuit against Zwinck before a local internal investigation was complete. He called on the Democrat, who is running for governor, to drop it. 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DENVER (AP) — Two Colorado deputies have been disciplined for violating state law by helping federal agents make immigration arrests, and their sheriff says officers from other agencies have done the same. One of the deputies, Alexander Zwinck, was sued by Colorado's attorney general last week, after his cooperation with federal immigration agents on a drug task force was revealed following the June arrest of a college student from Brazil with an expired visa. Following an internal investigation, a second Mesa County Sheriff's Office deputy and task force member, Erik Olson, was also found to have shared information. The two deputies used a Signal chat to relay information to federal agents, according to documents released Wednesday by the sheriff's office. Zwinck was placed on three weeks of unpaid leave, and Olson was given two weeks of unpaid leave, Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell said in a statement. Both were removed from the task force. Two supervisors also were disciplined. One was suspended without pay for two days, and another received a letter of reprimand. A third supervisor received counseling. State laws push back against Trump crackdown The lawsuit and disciplinary actions come as lawmakers in Colorado and other Democratic-led states have crafted legislation intended to push back against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Since Trump took office, pro-immigrant bills have advanced through legislatures in Illinois, Vermont, California, Connecticut and other states. The measures include stronger protections for immigrants in housing, employment and police encounters. Trump has enlisted hundreds of state and local law enforcement agencies to help identify immigrants in the U.S. illegally and detain them for potential deportation. The Republican also relaxed longtime rules restricting immigration enforcement near schools , churches and hospitals. Zwinck was sued under a new state law signed by Gov. Jared Polis about two weeks before the arrest of the student from Brazil. It bars local government employees including law enforcement from sharing identifying information about people with federal immigration officials. Previously, only state agencies were barred from doing that. It's one of a series of laws limiting the state's involvement in immigration enforcement passed over the years that has drawn criticism and a lawsuit from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Justice has also sued Illinois and New York, as well as several cities in those states and New Jersey , alleging their policies violate the U.S. Constitution or federal immigration laws. Officers say they were following established procedures Zwinck and Olson told officials they thought they were operating according to long-standing procedures. However, the internal investigation found they had both received and read two emails prior to the passage of the new law about previous limits on cooperation with immigration officials. The most recent was sent on Jan. 30, 2025, after an official for Homeland Security Investigations, part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, had asked state and local law enforcement officers at a law enforcement meeting to contact HSI or ICE if they arrested a person for a violent crime who was believed not to be a citizen, the investigation documents said. The email said not to contact HSI or ICE. Zwinck said he didn't know about the new law and was not interested in immigration enforcement. 'When I was out there, I wanted to find drugs, guns and bad guys,' Zwinck said at a July 23 disciplinary hearing. 'And sending that information to HSI they provided the ability to give me real time background information on the person I was in contact with,' he said. Olson, who said he had been with the sheriff's office 18 years, testified at his disciplinary hearing that it was 'standard practice' to send information up to federal agents during traffic stops. 'It was routine for ICE to show up on the back end of a traffic stop to do their thing,' Olson said. 'I truly thought what we were doing was condoned by our supervision and lawful.' A lawyer at a law firm listed as representing both deputies, Michael Lowe, did not immediately return a telephone call or email seeking comment. Rowell said drug task force members from other law enforcement agencies, including the Colorado State Patrol, also shared information with immigration agents on the Signal chat. The state patrol denied the claim. The sheriff faulted Attorney General Phil Weiser for filing the lawsuit against Zwinck before a local internal investigation was complete. He called on the Democrat, who is running for governor, to drop it. 'As it stands, the lawsuit filed by the Attorney General's Office sends a demoralizing message to law enforcement officers across Colorado — that the law may be wielded selectively and publicly for maximum political effect rather than applied fairly and consistently,' he said. Weiser said last week that he was investigating whether other officers in the chat violated the law. Spokesperson Lawrence Pacheco said Weiser was presented with evidence of a 'blatant violation of state law' and had to act. 'The attorney general has a duty to enforce state laws and protect Coloradans and he'll continue to do so,' Pacheco said. ___ Brown reported from Billings, Montana. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. 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