I chose my friends poorly, and your friends have a tendency to rub off on you. And so I started making poor decisions. The next night I made a plan of how to do it, and I did it. And I didn't get caught doing it, [but] I got caught afterwards.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer stated, 'In reality, today's system fails to protect citizens from life-threatening violence, vindicate victims of crime or break destructive patterns that often surround these children.'
Hector Sierra, 51, was arrested for fare evasion and possession of a controlled substance. He fell ill while in custody and was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
Jason Thompson, a guard at HMP Isis, was suspended as the Metropolitan Police investigated his involvement in smuggling drugs and contraband into the prison. He was sentenced to four years and six months for conspiracy and misconduct.
The high-ranking role comes with a $180,000 to $230,000 salary, the listing states, and "will serve as a trusted advisor to the mayor, first deputy mayor, and the administration's senior leadership on all matters related to the closing of Rikers."
As prison sentences have become longer, and as more prisoners are given whole-life tariffs or given minimum sentences of 20, 30 or 40 years, it is harder to persuade them to hold back on their violent instincts. They have nothing to lose. If you are serving a long sentence, you can feel as if you don't have a life ahead of you—your family may well have disowned you, your relationships may have broken down.
Last year, Trump officials pledged to double staffing at ICE by adding 10,000 new deportation officers by January 2026. Stephen Miller treated the recruitment drive as a priority on par with the deportation push, demanding daily updates on the pace of hiring. Immigration and Customs Enforcement held job expos in multiple cities and dangled $50,000 bonuses, student-loan forgiveness, and other perks before potential recruits.
The Justice Department has opened a civil rights probe into Pretti's fatal shooting by federal immigration officers. However, the Trump administration has said there is no need for a similar probe into Good's death. Minnesota officials launched legal steps soon after Pretti's killing in an effort to stake their claim to investigate, including obtaining a search warrant and suing to "vindicate their right to access evidence."
For many, one particular breakdown is a final, damning cause for despair: Minnesota's apparent inability to investigate and potentially prosecute the federal agents responsible. The Department of Homeland Security on Saturday reportedly blocked Minnesota officials from examining the scene of Alex Pretti's shooting. Access was refused even after state officials got a judicial search warrant. As a result, key forensic evidence was almost certainly lost. This comes after state officials were excluded from the investigation into Renee Good's death.
