The Butler County sheriff says a West Chester policy prevented officers from turning over an alleged undocumented immigrant to ICE. Township officials say that's false.
The dispute between Sheriff Richard Jones and West Chester police has escalated in the days since a 26-year-old man — who Jones said is undocumented — was cited for a fender bender on Sept. 14. No one was injured, township officials said.
Township officials say Jones has subjected Police Chief Brian Rebholz to disrespectful personal attacks and spread inaccurate information about the incident. Jones, meanwhile, has repeatedly called West Chester a sanctuary township and said Rebholz has a policy preventing officers from contacting immigration officials.
"They refuse to call ICE,"
Jones told The Enquirer. "They don't want ICE involved because it sends the wrong message to the community."
West Chester Township spokesperson Brianna Wooten said no policies prevent its officers from working with immigration enforcement. She said Jones was incorrect.
In a Sept. 25 statement, the township's trustees said police routinely work alongside federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to investigate crimes and apprehend wanted individuals.
Jones told The Enquirer the West Chester officer knew the driver was undocumented, repeating a claim made in a Facebook video and radio appearance discussing the incident. Wooten said that was also untrue.
The officer acted appropriately, she said, and the lack of an arrest warrant or ICE detainer meant there was no legal basis for his arrest.
"He can't just take someone off the street and throw him in jail because he comes from a different country," Wooten said.
The 26-year-old will likely be deported, Jones said. He is from Mexico and has been in the United States for four years, according to the sheriff's office.
As of Sept. 25, he was being held at the Butler County Jail, according to the Department of Homeland Security data.
Township responds to name-calling and personal attacks
Jones said he couldn't remember the name of West Chester Township's police chief on a Sept. 18 Facebook live video and a Sept. 24 radio appearance with Bill Cunningham.
"What is the name of the chief of police of West Chester?" Cunningham asked on his show.
"I don't even know his name," Jones replied. "I always call him what's-his-name."
Rebholz "deserves the basic professional courtesy should expect between public safety agencies," reads the trustees' statement.
"Direct communication between law enforcement professionals is the appropriate way to address disagreements over procedure," the group's statement reads.
Sheriff Jones' ICE detentions
Since March 2025, Jones has been able to detain ICE arrestees at his jail. He said he began preparing his jail for a population increase the day after the 2024 election.
Butler County Jail, located in Hamilton, Ohio, holds up to 848 maximum and medium-security inmates. The sheriff's office is paid $68 per day and $36 per hour to transport ICE detainees to the airport, according to a resolution passed by county commissioners.
Concerns over poor conditions at the Butler County Jail prompted three Columbus-area Democrats to call for further inspections in January. Jones denied claimed of overcrowding.
"We've never been over capacity, ever," Jones said. "We don't have anybody sleeping on the floor."
Enquirer reporter Victoria Moorwood contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How a fender bender led to Butler County sheriff, West Chester dispute
