TUNKHANNOCK, WYOMING COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— The sentencing of a Wyoming County man has led to discussion over the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) presence in the region.
As ICE raids pop up across the country, a Homeland Security presence in Tunkhannock got renewed attention, but Wyoming County District Attorney Joe Peters says this partnership is nothing new.
“The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent who works out of my office has been here for a couple of years. So he has been in place, the relationship goes back twenty years between myself, DHS, and the other federal agencies,” explained Peters.
The partnership stems from Peters’ own experience in federal law enforcement, spending time in The White House, and working as part of a team to build the Department of Homeland Security following 9/11.
The relationships he has formed have put the county in a unique position.
“It’s a special thing for Wyoming County, and particularly for a county that is small and rural to have a federal agent working out of my office,” said Peters.
Recently, this partnership allowed a smooth transition from what started as a domestic violence arrest into a potential deportation.
The man in question, Jeton Dermaku, had been on the radar of federal agencies due to his alleged questionable immigration status. When he was arrested, these agencies contacted Peters’ office to escalate the case.
“By having all of the tools in place and all of the agencies in place, then we can pull on whatever lever we need to get the results that we want in a particular case, and to send a message generally that if you’re a criminal, you’re not wanted here in Wyoming County,” voiced Peters.
Peters went on to say that Wyoming County is not a sanctuary county, and will give full cooperation to agencies like ICE and Homeland Security if the need arises.