The residents of Oracle were treated as alarmists and “haters” when they first expressed concerns about the federal government’s plans to house Unaccompanied Alien Children at Sycamore Canyon Academy, however since the illegal minors were placed into the Academy, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office received more emergency calls this year over the same time period last year, with four including assaults on staff.
In 2013, from Aug. 1st through Oct. 8th, there were eight calls from the Academy, including two for runaways, four 9-1-1 hang-ups, one threatening and one subject disturbing. In 2014, for the same time period, there have been 13 calls, including five assaults on students and staff, one for criminal damage, three 9-1-1 hang-ups, one agency assist for a juvenile in crisis, one missing person report, and one for narcotics.
The most recent call Pinal County Sheriff’s Deputies received occurred on Wed., Oct. 8, 2014 at about 11:30 p.m. In this case, Deputies responded after receiving a report of a juvenile inmate assaulting a staff member with a weapon.
Once on scene, Deputies learned that at approximately 11:15 p.m., a juvenile inmate in the Palo Verde Unit requested the assistance of a Night Watch Staff Member in obtaining his inhaler. When the staff member, a 74 year old man, turned his back to retrieve the inhaler another juvenile inmate approached from behind and assaulted the man.
Cristian Dakin, then 13 of Colombia and an inmate at Sycamore since Jul. 30, 2014, used a tube sock filled with three bars of soap to strike the back of the victim’s head, causing injury. After the first strike, additional staff members assisted to restrain Dakin as 9-1-1 was called.
After learning the timing of events, Deputies interviewed other juvenile inmates, including the juvenile who requested his inhaler, regarding their possible involvement. All denied being involved in the incident and stated there was no pre-meditated plan to launch an assault after the victim turned his back to retrieve the inhaler.
After paramedics arrived and began to care for the staff member, Dakin was taken to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Oracle Substation for processing. Once there, Dakin refused to answer any questions or make any statements without a lawyer present.
Deputies booked Dakin into the Pinal County Juvenile Detention Center on Aggravated Assault on a School/Corrections Employee and Aggravated Assault with a Weapon/Dangerous Instrument.
Sheriff Babeu stated, “Law enforcement was never provided with the profiles or criminal histories of the unaccompanied juveniles coming from Central America and being placed into our communities. Now, we are seeing an increase in violent crimes occurring at Sycamore Canyon Academy, where they were sent. Understandably, the residents of Oracle have been emailing and calling my office due to their concern of hearing of this increase in violence at the Academy and they have every right to be upset. My office is acutely aware of the situation and we will continue to work to ensure the safety of those in Oracle and the surrounding areas.”
Other than Babeu, the concerns of Oracle residents fell on the deaf ears of Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne and authorities. Horne used the subject of the UAC arrivals for campaign purposes only. He lost his bid for re-election.
Community leader Bob Skiba said of the situation, “It borders on the criminal side to have a facility such as the SCA residing in our area with no adequate security system, such as chain link fencing or perimeter security guards. These inmates are not choir boys waiting for the pope’s blessing. We are going to demand a meeting with the project director, Ike Shipman, in order to determine for ourselves the threat level for all the good people of this community. The YMCA has a well-established camp for youngsters located just a few miles north of the SCA. Should the Oracle community and its surrounding area have to wait until some major event occurs to a member(s) of the community, or should we take matters into our own hands and demand correction? Some of us are not inclined to wait.”
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