Reports: Violent Crime Up at Arizona Academy After Illegal Aliens Arrive

Pinal County, Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu has suggested that illegal alien minors who reportedly arrived in late July at an Oracle, Arizona detention facility for at-risk youth are connected to a dramatic increase in emergency calls from the facility, including reports of violent crime. 

“Murrieta-style” protests had erupted against moving the minors to Oracle from overcrowded Texas facilities in mid-July. Arrivals were held back temporarily at the time in light of the protests, which eventually died down.

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office reported this week that there has been a great increase in concern from the Oracle community in the wake of a significant increase in violent events at the detention facility, named Sycamore Canyon Academy.

Most recently, an October 8 emergency call was made reporting the assault of a 74-year-old Sycamore staff member by then 13-year-old Cristian Dakin of Columbia, together with an inmate who had arrived July 30. 

One juvenile inmate had asked a night watch staff member to help retrieve an inhaler, distracting the staff member while the other inmate assaulted the victim.

A tube sock filled with three bars of soap was used to strike the back of the elderly staff member’s head, injuring the victim. Staff members responded and restrained the teen, then called 9-1-1.

That was just one of 13 9-1-1 calls between August 1 and October 8. Of those, five were assaults on students and staff, one was made for criminal damage, three were hang-ups, one was an agency assist for a juvenile in crisis, one was a missing person report, and one involved narcotics, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. By comparison, 2013 saw eight emergency calls in the same time period.

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said: 

Law enforcement was never provided with the profiles or criminal histories of the unaccompanied juveniles coming from Central America and being placed into our communities. Now, we are seeing an increase in violent crimes occurring at Sycamore Canyon Academy, where they were sent. Understandably, the residents of Oracle have been emailing and calling my office due to their concern of hearing of this increase in violence at the Academy and they have every right to be upset. My office is acutely aware of the situation and we will continue to work to ensure the safety of those in Oracle and the surrounding areas.

Protestors came from near and far to Oracle in July upon reports that up to 60 illegal alien minors were being transported to the low-security juvenile detention facility.

Oracle protestor Brandon Latham spoke with Breitbart during the July protests: