Sheriff: 39 taken into custody during Fairfield nightclub raid, traffic stops are in the U.S. illegally

“All individuals were identified as being in the United States illegally and are currently being held pending further action by federal immigration authorities,” states a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.

Arrests at Sabor Peruano Night Club, 7245 Dixie Highway, were in response to recent violence in the area and aimed at reducing criminal activity associated with the club, according to Fairfield Police.

Over the past two months, Fairfield police reported to have two shootings directly linked to Sabor Peruano.

“Investigations revealed that many of the individuals involved were in the country illegally,” according to a media release from the Fairfield Police Department. “As a result, we have been working closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to assist with our investigations.”

As a result of the investigation, and before the operation was executed on Saturday, the police officers anticipated encountering people who were in the country illegally and possibly armed. For that reason, the department requested federal law enforcement assistance.

“Despite multiple opportunities to address ongoing concerns, the ownership of Sabor Peruano has not taken sufficient steps to resolve the issues,” according to the Fairfield PD. “As such, we will continue to closely monitor the situation and allocate resources as necessary to ensure the safety of our community.

They were arrested and transported to the Butler County Jail, Fairfield Police reported.

“The Fairfield Police Department is committed to maintaining the safety and well-being of our diverse community, and we value the strong relationships we’ve built with our residents and businesses,” according to the police department. “While we support local establishments, we must also ensure that all operations comply with the law and will not tolerate behavior that compromises public safety.”

The Sheriff’s Office also said it will keep detaining people in the United States illegally:

“The Butler County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work in direct coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and surrounding law enforcement agencies to aggressively identify, detain, and remove individuals unlawfully present in this country. Sheriff Jones emphasized that Butler County will not harbor or tolerate individuals violating U.S. immigration law.”