Man Placed on Prison ICE Hold by Jacksonville Immigration Authorities Following Arrest in Gainesville
Update | Jan 14, 2026: Added more information on the differentiation of the arrest reports and organized information under subsections.
On October 20, 2025, Juan Pozada-Zepeda, 31, was placed on a detainer by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities in Jacksonville while in prison.
The Incident
Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officers arrested Pozada-Zepeda on July 5, 2025, shortly before 2 a.m., along with his co-defendant, Jose Torres-Vazquez, 32.
According to the arrest reports, written by GPD Officer Andrew Milman, Pozada-Zepeda, Torres-Vazquez, three witnesses and the victim were all inside the Loft Night Club.
The arrest reports state Pozada-Zepeda pushed the victim as he was going to the bathroom, causing him to fall backwards. The victim continued into the bathroom, with Pozada-Zepeda waiting outside.
Pozada-Zepeda reportedly started another altercation with the victim when he exited the bathroom, culminating in him pulling a semi-automatic handgun from his pants and pointing it at him.
“As [Pozada-Zepeda] pulled the firearm, he racked the slide and stated, ‘I will kill you,’” the arrest reports state, with the victim lifting up his hands in response while starting to back away.
According to the arrest reports, “[Torres-Vazquez] and an unknown third suspect then used a closed fist and punched the victim in his chest approximately three times,” causing the three witnesses to intervene, ending the altercation. Loft security guards stepped in and escorted Torres-Vazquez and Pozada-Zepeda out of the club.
Milman reported, “Post Miranda, [Pozada-Zepeda] admitted that he got into a verbal altercation with the victim in the bathroom. [Pozada-Zepeda] stated that the victim had pushed him first and that's what started the altercation. [Pozada-Zepeda] stated that he never had a firearm and that there was no firearm involved in the incident. However, in a search incident to arrest LEO located [nine] .45 caliber live shell casings in [Pozada-Zepeda's] right front pants pocket. When confronted with this information [Pozada-Zepeda] still stated that he never had a firearm… [Pozada-Zepeda] was not in possession of any form of identification and stated that he was in this country illegally.”
The arrest reports indicate police didn’t find a gun on Pozada-Zepeda, with Milman reporting, “Prior to LEO arrival, [Pozada-Zepeda] was able to pass the firearm to an unknown person.”
Torres-Vazquez and Pozada-Zepeda were both charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, a felony, with Torres-Vazquez receiving an additional count of misdemeanor battery.
Arrest Reports
Both arrest reports say the witnesses reported seeing the entire altercation. Torres-Vazquez's arrest report says that the witnesses specified they saw a firearm, while Pozada-Zepeda's arrest report doesn't include reference to witnesses confirming they saw a firearm.
Torres-Vazquez's arrest report emphasizes the victim fearing for his life and believing Pozada-Zepeda would kill him. This isn't referenced in Pozada-Zepeda's arrest report.
Torres-Vazquez's arrest report states "it was clear" Pozada-Zepeda and Torres-Vazquez were "working together" to attack the victim, while this isn't referenced in Pozada-Zepeda's arrest report.
Courtroom Proceedings
Based on court records, there aren’t any indications that Pozada-Zepeda was placed under an ICE hold once he reached the Alachua County Jail, however, he wasn't eligible for bond, as prosecutors filed a motion of pretrial detention that was granted by Judge Robert Groeb.
The pretrial detention motion doesn’t directly confirm Pozada-Zepeda’s legal status, but it does say, “The defendant has no ties to the community, he had no identifications and stated he is in the country illegally.”
Torres-Vazquez does not appear to have been placed under an ICE hold as he was eligible for bond, but he never posted the set amount of $110,000.
Prosecutors dropped Torres-Vazquez’s charges in August 2025, however, Pozada-Zepeda would be convicted the following month after taking a no contest plea deal and sentenced to 13 months in prison.
The plea agreement states Public Defender Alfredo Ferrer translated the document for Pozada-Zepeda.
Pozada-Zepeda signed his initials next to numerous boxes of the plea agreement to indicate to the court he understood the conditions. One of the boxes is titled "Immigration warning,” which states, "I understand that if I am not a citizen of the United States, this plea may result in my detention and deportation/removal from the United States and/or stop me from being able to legally enter or re-enter the United States. I further understand that I have the right to seek individualized advice from my attorney about the effect this plea will have on my immigration status.”
The Immigration warning box contained three options that Pozada-Zepeda could select, “(a) My attorney has advised me that I am pleading to a presumptively mandatory deportable offense. I fully understand the immigration consequences of pleading to a presumptively mandatory deportable offense. In some cases, detention and removal will be required. (b) My attorney has advised me that I am not pleading to a presumptively mandatory deportable offense. I fully understand that this plea may still subject me to removal proceedings and/or exclusion from the United States. In some cases, detention and removal will be required. (c) My attorney has not provided me with any individualized advice about the immigration consequences of my plea.”
Pozada-Zepeda selected option c.
The plea deal was accepted by Judge James Colaw.
As of today, Pozada-Zepeda remains imprisoned in the Hamilton Correctional Institute.
