Newly released records give a clearer picture as to what led to ICE’s detention of a U.S. citizen in Olathe last week — and what the Olathe Police Department’s role was during the encounter.
An ICE agent called Olathe police and reported that two men rammed or tried to ram into him during an immigration enforcement operation on July 11 at an apartment complex, leading to their detention nearby, according to police records obtained by the Post.
The two men involved in the Olathe incident were Alan Marquez, a 19-year-old U.S. citizen, and his cousin, a 20-year-old lawful permanent resident. After being detained for hours on July 11, they were released without criminal charges.
Videos reviewed by the Post, along with firsthand accounts from Marquez and a witness, capture most of the encounter that led to ICE arresting Marquez and his cousin, whose full name is omitted from official records. The videos appear to show ICE agent Jack Ravencamp, who called Olathe PD, reversing his car into Marquez’s truck, damaging the door and side mirror.
“Usual and routine” — Olathe PD handled crowd control, transported detainees
According to an email Councilmember LeEtta Felter sent on July 16 to a resident concerned about the incident, Olathe Chief of Police Mike Butaud told her that Olathe police officers were not at the scene to assist ICE with immigration enforcement which would be in violation of department policy.
Butaud told Felter that officers stood by for crowd control and later “essentially acted as an Uber,” when they subsequently took the two men to county jail per ICE’s request.
“Any large gathering, OPD is usually there. This would be usual and routine,” Felter wrote in the email.
Department policy also allows officers to transport detainees for outside agencies like ICE.
The Olathe Police Department previously declined to confirm to the Post why the men were detained.
Still, the department has repeatedly said that it doesn’t participate in federal immigration enforcement unless it involves a criminal offense within its authority to enforce.
The chief told the councilmember that one man was arrested for allegedly attempting to strike an ICE vehicle while the other driver was arrested after allegedly hitting an agent with his vehicle. He said he was unsure whether the one vehicle’s collision was intentional or accidental.
The Post has requested comment from the Department of Homeland Security about the incident and two men’s arrest and detention, but have not heard back.
Records requested from the Olathe Police Department by the Post on July 13, were initially denied, as police cited it as an active investigation. The department reversed its decision and fulfilled the request on July 17, saying its criminal investigation had concluded.
Using the newly released records, witness videos and interviews with those involved, the Post attempted to reconstruct the timeline of that morning’s events. Here’s what we can gather.
The July 11 incident
Marquez told the Post that he stopped by the Harrison Point apartment complex at Harrison Street and Dennis Avenue to watch the immigration operation after seeing law enforcement vehicles parked outside.
He said an ICE agent, later identified as Ravencamp, approached his red truck on foot saying something to the effect of “What’s up, papi? You next?”
Ravencamp, an ICE agent from Lenexa, has been involved in other ICE operations in Johnson County. Ravencamp is currently being sued in Maine for unlawfully detaining a legal resident and using excessive force during an immigration operation in January.
According to the newly released Computer Aided Dispatch report, which serves as an electronic record that tracks officer activity in real time, Ravencamp contacted Olathe police at 10:44 a.m on July 11, alerting them to the situation.
Marquez can be seen using his truck to block the ICE agent, who later pepper sprayed Marquez’s vehicle and reversed into the side of it, causing damage.
An official with the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement, later gave Marquez information on how to file a claim for the damages.
While he openly admits to blocking Ravencamp’s car, Marquez has consistently denied that he or his cousin rammed or attempted to ram into federal agents.
Only 15 minutes after the encounter between Marquez and Ravencamp began, Marquez said Olathe police handcuffed him and his cousin, transported them to the New Century Adult Detention Center and held them for several hours before Homeland Security investigators released them without charges.
Marquez said he never got a clear answer as to why he was being detained.
Here’s the timeline of events based on police records and videos from a witness and Marquez. Information entered into the CAD log came from both ICE agents and Olathe police officers.
The bigger picture
The July 11 enforcement operation unfolded amid increased immigration enforcement both locally and nationally.
Several community members and activists have reported to the Post an uptick in ICE operations in Olathe in recent weeks.
Nationally, ICE has also faced increased scrutiny following two fatal shootings involving motorists in Texas and Maine earlier this month. In both cases, the DHS said agents fired because they believed they faced an imminent threat from moving vehicles.
Marquez said his cousin, a legal permanent resident, doesn’t want to pursue the matter legally because he fears it could affect his immigration status. Marquez, however, said he intends to continue to challenge what happened.
“I’m a U.S. citizen, so I’m gonna do what I can do to fight against it,” he said.
