Bahamian man in ICE custody passes away in Michigan

DETROIT — A 58-year-old Bahamian national in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) passed away, Feb. 5, at the Calhoun County Jail in Battle Creek, Michigan. The preliminary cause of death was reported by emergency medical officials to be caused by a medical emergency.

Jesse Jermone Dean Jr., was pronounced dead at 11:38 a.m. (EST) by medical professionals. Dean was admitted to the jail’s medical monitoring unit Feb. 4, by medical staff for monitoring of prior health complaints he’d made earlier in the day.

Dean was arrested by ICE Dec. 31, 2020, after his release from U.S. Bureau of Prisons at North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin, Michigan, following completion of a 30-year federal sentence on charges of conspiracy to possess cocaine, possession, conspiracy to import cocaine, importation of cocaine and use of a communications device in the commission of a felony.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate agencies have been notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Additionally, ICE has notified the Commonwealth of Bahamas Consulate of Dean’s death; consular officials have notified his next of kin.

ICE is firmly committed to the health and welfare of all those in its custody and is undertaking a comprehensive, agency-wide review of this incident, as it does following all deaths in custody.