BIDDEFORD, Maine (BN24) — A Jamaican national illegally residing in the United States was arrested Thursday after allegedly attempting to unlawfully purchase a firearm while serving as a reserve police officer in Maine, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said.
Jon Luke Evans, who had been working for the Old Orchard Beach Police Department, was taken into custody on July 25 in Biddeford by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston, in coordination with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Evans, 33, entered the U.S. legally on a visa through Miami International Airport on Sept. 24, 2023, according to ICE. However, he overstayed his visa and failed to leave the country as required on Oct. 1 of the same year, making him unlawfully present in the country.
Authorities say Evans attempted to purchase a firearm for use in his capacity as a police officer. That attempt triggered an alert to ATF agents, who then partnered with ICE to investigate further and carry out the arrest. During questioning, Evans admitted to ICE officers that he had attempted to obtain the firearm specifically for his police work.
ICE officials expressed outrage that a local law enforcement agency had hired someone who was in the country illegally and allowed him to carry a firearm while on duty.
“Jon Luke Evans not only broke U.S. immigration law, but he also illegally attempted to purchase a firearm,” said ICE ERO Boston Acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “Shockingly, Evans was employed as a local law enforcement officer. The fact that a police department would hire an illegal alien and unlawfully issue him a firearm while on duty would be comical if it weren’t so tragic.”
Hyde added that ICE Boston would continue prioritizing public safety by identifying and removing individuals in violation of immigration law, particularly those working in sensitive roles like law enforcement.
This arrest follows a similar incident in April when ICE officers in Falmouth detained Gratien Milandou Wamba, a Congolese national who was also unlawfully present in the U.S. and employed as a corrections officer. Like Evans, Wamba had also allegedly attempted to illegally purchase a firearm.
Evans’ case has raised concerns about law enforcement hiring practices and oversight. As of Monday, the Old Orchard Beach Police Department has not issued a public statement.
ICE officials say Evans is in federal custody and is expected to face immigration proceedings.
Source: ice.gov
