Judge grants first step to help Happy Valley man avoid deportation

The Oregonian ^ | November 09, 2012 | Molly Harbarger

[moonshinner_09]

A Clackamas County judge signed off Thursday on the first step to keep a young Happy Valley man from deportation.

Judge Thomas J. Rastetter granted bench probation to Edson Barrera Gonzalez, who has been held in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement center in Seattle for a year. Immigration advocates for Gonzalez hope to persuade ICE to release Gonzalez for six months while he applies to have his status changed to a misdemeanor criminal, rather than felon.

Gonzalez, then a 19-year-old employee at Macy's department store, was arrested last year for giving unauthorized discounts and ringing up false returns to benefit his parents, whom, he said, were struggling financially.

He pleaded guilty to first-degree theft, a felony, although under the terms of a plea agreement, his crime would be reduced to a misdemeanor once he paid back $1,526 and served 10 days in jail and two years on probation.

[moonshinner_09]

How did he gain employment at Macy's ? Fake or stolen documents no longer is counted as a crime.

[skeeter]

WIll anyone hold Thomas J Rastetter accountable when in a few years Mr Gonzolez gets caught breaking into homes or runs over his first pedestrian while intoxicated?

Hell no.

[Doogle]

ringing up false returns to benefit his parents, whom, he said, were struggling financially.

wow, a new situation, a 19 illegal is here with his parents who are legal?...right?....they didn't break the law either right?...right?

[neverbluffer]

So Macy’s highes illegal aliens?

[neverbluffer]

So Macy’s hires illegal aliens?

[Doogle]

guess so

[YouGoTexasGirl]

This is something the attorney’s are doing on our tax dollars many times a day. Crimes are being reduced since they are otherwise good people (!!!) so they can stay and not be deported. Plus, the justice/ICE system takes them for long rides between the courts and their holding places several times until the trials are done.

So, as I told a lady who was pleading for one of these illegals that I could not pray for him or his family since he is not only illegal, taking cash for wages and not reporting to IRS, living large here, then WE HAVE TO PAY HUGE BUCKS TO get him off a crime and then dismiss a former DWI!!!!

So the bottom line is, a good citizen gets heavily fined for minor offenses and if WE break the law, we’re toast!!

I have lost my good feelings about being American. I am a Christian and that is all that makes me live day to day with some joy.

[txrefugee]

Stealing for your parents used to be a crime, as in the Oliver Twist story, but apparently not in OR today. Crazy.

[RetiredTexasVet]

Oregon ... part of Californicate isn’t it? A county or something like Washington. I think they used to be states until they were over run by Californicates.

[La Lydia]

The streets of Laredo, El Paso, Brownsville, etc. are lined with felons who should have been deported but were instead allowed to plea bargain down to a misdemeanor by stupid judges and county attorneys who themselves have no respect for the rule of law.

[VeniVidiVici]

Gonzalez, then a 19-year-old employee at Macy's department store, was arrested last year for giving unauthorized discounts and ringing up false returns to benefit his parents, whom, he said, were struggling financially.

Guess liberals claim now that working at Macys is a job Americans don't want to do.

[dfwgator]

Guy has a great future as a Democratic politician.