Discrepancy in Immigration Arrest Reports Attributed to Error
The recent discrepancy between two reports concerning the immigration arrest of a Laramie County resident has been identified as a copy-and-paste error, according to Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak. In a social media video released Sunday, the sheriff addressed allegations that he issued false reports and withheld critical evidence related to an ongoing immigration case.
“I would like to sincerely apologize to the Cheyenne Police Department and the law firm for any time wasted,” Kozak stated.
The initial report claimed that the Cheyenne Police Department collected video footage of the arrest. However, a subsequent report clarified that the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office was the actual custodian of the footage. The plaintiffs, who previously submitted public records requests for the arrest video, were frustrated when they learned about the pertinent agency involved in the case.
Kozak explained that the request for the video “went to the county attorney for resolution.” He further noted that the county attorney had asked the law firm to provide a letter confirming its representation of the individual taken into custody. However, due to the absence of that letter, the plaintiff did not receive the requested video footage.
Attempts to reach the county attorney for comments regarding the lawsuit prior to publication were unsuccessful. The suit, filed last week, claims that Kozak’s office obstructed access to vital evidence and released inaccurate reports about the immigration status of Mario Fabian Valenzuela Robles. A long-term resident of Laramie County and a Mexican national, Valenzuela Robles has three minor children who are U.S. citizens. His detention occurred in April following a routine traffic stop.
The plaintiffs in this case are the Denver-based Richter & Associates, also known as Richter Immigration Services, and Kevin Lewis, a Laramie County resident serving as an investigator for the firm. They are represented by Cheyenne attorney Drake Hill, who has a background as a former Wyoming Republican Party chairman and ties to a conservative political group. Lewis previously worked within the educational office of Hill’s spouse, adding another layer of connection to the case.
The original arrest report indicated that the deputy’s camera was turned off during the incident and claimed that Cheyenne police officers were responsible for collecting and archiving the video footage. In contrast, the corrected report clarifies that the deputy’s camera was functional and that it was, in fact, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office that handled the video footage. Lewis’s firm reported facing challenges in obtaining the body camera footage related to the incident.
As the plaintiffs sought access to critical records, Valenzuela Robles’ immigration proceedings were progressing rapidly. The complaint emphasizes that this information was vital to his defense. Currently free on bond, he awaits a habeas corpus hearing to determine the legality of his confinement.
Clarity Provided Regarding the Arrest Report
While Kozak refrained from commenting on the lawsuit’s allegations, he remarked that the description of discrepancies in the reporting was “not accurate.” He elaborated in a Facebook video that the reporting deputy mistakenly copied and pasted language that indicated involvement with the Cheyenne police. The error stemmed from an earlier report’s details about video camera usage.
Kozak stated that a supervisor from the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office eventually “discovered the error” and ensured the report was corrected. To prevent future incidents, the department has revised its protocols regarding how video-related information is documented in reports.
Body Camera Footage and Information Access Issues
The complaint suggests that staff from the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office informed Investigator Ruiz that he needed to establish himself as a representative of Valenzuela Robles to access records related to his request, including video footage. Laura Richter, the founder of Richter Immigration Services, provided Ruiz with a formal letter indicating that he was engaged to investigate Valenzuela Robles’ case. This letter was part of the exhibits submitted in the lawsuit.
While the plaintiffs managed to acquire the arrest report, Kozak indicated that the body camera footage was withheld because the county attorney did not receive confirmation in the form of a letter from the law firm. He emphasized that resolving this issue should be straightforward if the law firm confirms its representation of Valenzuela Robles.
Legal Challenges Over Immigration Agreements
The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office is contending with additional legal challenges concerning its partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In May, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint asserting that Kozak and his office failed to adhere to required procedures and exceeded their authority when entering into three 287(g) agreements last year.
These agreements grant local and state law enforcement agencies the ability to conduct immigration enforcement, thus extending the reach of federal agencies. The Trump administration revived the task force model, the most contentious of these agreements, in 2025 after it was phased out in 2012 under the Obama administration. Currently, Kozak’s office is one of only two law enforcement agencies in Wyoming, alongside the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, to hold all three types of agreements with ICE.
