Samuel Saxon, the Cincinnati-based U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leader charged with strangling a woman last week, was released from the Hamilton County Jail Thursday and transferred into the custody of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), jail employees confirmed to CityBeat.
Jail employees said Saxon was released on a writ and that his bond was not paid. A writ is a court order directing a detaining authority to deliver a person into custody. It was not immediately clear what agency issued the writ.
While Hamilton County confirmed Saxon is now in federal custody, it remains unclear whether he is facing federal charges. Saxon’s name has not yet appeared on the inmate rosters for Kenton County or Butler County jails, both of which house inmates under contract with the federal government.
CityBeat has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for more information about Saxon’s custody status and whether federal charges have been filed.
Saxon, 47, was arrested Dec. 5 after police were called to a Corryville apartment, where he is accused of strangling a woman he lives with. Court records indicate officers observed visible bruising on the woman’s neck and that witness statements alleged Saxon placed her in a chokehold. Prosecutors said in court that police had responded to the apartment roughly 22 times in the previous year and a half. Saxon has pleaded not guilty to charges of felonious assault, strangulation and domestic violence. A Hamilton County judge previously set his bond at $400,000, citing the seriousness of the alleged offense.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 is free, available 24/7 and allows you to speak confidentially with trained advocates who can help you develop a plan to reach safety.