The Delaware County OH jail soon will house federal prisoners under a new contract arranged by the sheriff and the U.S. Marshals Service, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
Under the agreement approved Monday by county commissioners, the federal law-enforcement agency will rent beds at the jail and pay the county $65 a day per bed, starting in April … Sheriff Walter L. Davis III said, through the partnership, the jail is accepting nonviolent men and women suspected of white-collar crimes such as theft and embezzlement. The money generated from rental fees will go toward completing the unfinished second story of the jail, Davis said. The sheriff’s office is pursuing a similar arrangement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house illegal immigrants awaiting deportation.
vericatrajkova OH Delaware County, Ohio, US Marshall's Service
County commissioners on Monday unanimously voted to approve a resolution declaring an intent to finish the second floor of the Delaware County OH Jail. The Delaware Gazette reports:
The language of the resolution referenced that money for the construction would be raised by renting out space in the jail to house federal prisoners. Delaware County Sheriff Walter L. Davis III said the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) was also interested in paying the county to hold illegal aliens. In addition to finishing the jail, federal dollars would also pay for an additional 12 correctional officers and three school resource officers, he said … U.S. Marshals and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency would provide $65 a day for each one of its prisoners housed at the jail, Davis said. The federal agencies would also cover medical expenses.
Davis said on Monday that the prisoners from the U.S. Marshals would “white-collar, non-violent” criminals. He also said 90 percent of the illegal aliens ICE handles are not criminal offenders beyond their illegal status in this country. They would only be in the jail a short time while awaiting deportation. “They’ll be in and out,” Davis said. ICE is interested in renting 15 beds in the jail immediately, pending an inspection of the facility …
Costs of finishing the jail were not discussed at the meeting, although in November, Davis asked the commissioners at his year budget hearing for about $1,000,000 for the project. To raise that amount without using local taxpayer money, the jail would need to house about 42 federal prisoners and/or illegal immigrants at $65 a day for one full year.
vericatrajkova Federal Payments, ICE, Immigration Issues / Illegal Aliens, OH Delaware County, Prison and Jail Construction