UPDATE: 1 of 4 ICE detention center escapees caught in N.J., police say
The four men who escaped from Delaney Hall in Newark Thursday were detained in different parts of the state and accused of a number of offenses, authorities said Friday.
The men were accused of a range of offenses, from gun possession, aggravated assault and burglary, to petit larceny, conspiracy and possession of burglary tools.
Two of the men are from South America and the other two are from Central America. All four men entered the U.S. illegally within the past six years, according to a statement from a senior Department of Homeland Security official Friday.
The men escaped from the 1,000-bed, privately operated Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Newark Thursday night, authorities said, amid unrest at the facility.
About 50 inmates pushed down a wall as tensions rose over delayed and inadequate meals, according to an attorney for one inmate that spoke to NJ Advance Media.
Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes and Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez, are both from Honduras.
Bautista-Reyes entered the U.S. in 2021 and was detained on May 3 in Wayne Township, officials said. He faces charges of aggravated assault, attempt to cause bodily injury, terroristic threats and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, the DHS official said.
Sandoval-Lopez entered the U.S. in 2019 and was initially detained by Passaic police on Oct. 3, 2024, for unlawful possession of a handgun and arrested again on Feb. 15 for aggravated assault, the DHS official said.
Joan Sebastion Castaneda-Lozada, originally from Colombia, entered the U.S. in 2022 and was detained on May 15 in Hammonton after being accused of burglary, theft and conspiracy to commit burglary, the official said.
Andres Pineda-Mogollon, also originally from Colombia, illegally entered the U.S. in 2023 and was arrested by the New York Police Department on April 25 for petit larceny, the DHS statement said.
Pineda-Mogollon was arrested again on May 21 in Union and accused of residential burglary, conspiracy and possession of burglary tools.
DHS announced on Friday a $10,000 reward for information that leads to their arrest.
Delaney Hall has been a flash point for immigration enforcement in New Jersey as regular protests at the facility have resulted in arrests of Newark mayor Ras Baraka and felony charges against U.S. Rep LaMonica McIver. The trespassing charge against Baraka has been dismissed.
Stories by Matthew Enuco
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com.