Key facts
- A former Guilford County detention officer, Michael Diehl, faces 20 felony forgery charges.
- Diehl allegedly forged signatures on 20 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer forms.
- These forms allowed detention centers to hold inmates for up to 48 hours for ICE.
- The forged documents were submitted for inmates subject to ICE detainers for immigration law violations.
- Diehl's employment with the sheriff's office was terminated during the investigation.
- Diehl was released on a $5,000 secured bond.
A former detention officer in North Carolina has been charged with 20 counts of felony forgery in connection with allegedly creating fraudulent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer documents. The Guilford County Sheriff's Office (GCSO) reported that the investigation began when a magistrate's office flagged a suspicious court document submitted by officer Michael Diehl.
The document in question, an AOC-CR-662 form, was associated with an ICE detainer for inmate Claudio Nepornuceno. This form allows detention centers to hold inmates for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release, providing ICE time to take custody. However, investigators found that Nepornuceno was not presented before a magistrate with the detainer, and the submitted form bore the forged signature of a magistrate who had not processed the arrest.
Further review of jail booking records revealed 19 additional AOC-CR-662 forms with allegedly forged magistrate signatures, impacting 19 other inmates. In all 20 cases, ICE had issued detainers based on evidence of immigration law violations. Diehl's employment with the GCSO was terminated as a result of the investigation, and he was subsequently arrested and released on a $5,000 bond. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed.