FAIRFIELD, Ohio — More than 30 people were arrested last weekend after what Fairfield police are calling "an operation" at a Peruvian restaurant and nightclub on Route 4.
Fairfield police said their investigations into two shootings directly linked to Sabor Peruano revealed multiple people involved were in the country illegally. On Saturday, Aug. 16, police said officers worked with the Butler County Sheriff's Department and Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) officers to conduct an operation "in and around" the restaurant.
In total, 34 people were arrested and taken to the Butler County Jail. Police did not say whether those arrested were in the country illegally or if they face other charges.
This release comes less than one day after our report showing police pulling a woman from a car during a traffic stop, later turning her over the ICE.
Marlen Ortiz-Soto, 24, and her boyfriend, Daniel Flores, were driving from Indiana back to Ortiz-Soto's home in Ohio early Aug. 17 when Fairfield police stopped them near Route 4 for an alleged traffic violation, said Krishna Mahadevan, Ortiz-Soto's attorney.
In a two-minute video shared with WCPO, Flores asks an officer for his badge number and to identify himself. The officer complies at first, and when Flores asks again, the officer refuses, saying he already gave it to Flores.
You can watch video of the traffic stop below:
A second officer then tells Ortiz-Soto they have "probable cause that you are here illegally."
Eventually, officers open the passenger door and begin pulling Ortiz-Soto out as Flores protests.
An officer then attempts to grab Flores' phone out of his hands, before another officer, who appears to be wearing a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms vest, says, "You can go to jail too."
Mahadevan said his client has an ongoing asylum claim from 2019. Ortiz-Soto is from Honduras and fears returning to that country due to previous violence.
"There is no real precedent for ICE taking or picking up people at random locations or being handed off people from another agency to them at a random location," Mahadevan said.
We reached out to Fairfield police for comment on Ortiz-Soto's arrest, but they still have not responded.
In their release, police said their operation was in response to "recent violence in the area and aimed at reducing the criminal activity associated with the club."
"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," the release says. "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."
However, Ortiz-Soto's attorney said neither she nor Flores has a connection to the restaurant.
We have reached out to police for more information on the operation and the two shootings they say are connected to the restaurant. We will update this story with more information when it is received.
