Patchogue Man Accused Of Kidnapping Little Girl From Laundromat Re-Arrested By ICE: Report

PATCHOGUE, NY — A Patchogue man accused of kidnapping a little girl from a laundromat last month has been re-arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, The New York Post reported.

Carlos Corte was arrested March 28 after kidnapping a child from a laundromat, Suffolk police said.

It took place at around noon on East Main Street while a woman, unknown to Cortes, was with her two children at the laundromat led her 4-year-old daughter out the back exit, according to police.

Her mother reported her missing, and patrol officers responded to the scene, where they reviewed surveillance video and began canvassing the area, police said, adding that during the search, the mother found her daughter in the children’s play area of the Patchogue-Medford Library on East Main Street.

A patrol officer found Corte near the laundromat and took him into custody, police said.

In a statement to The New York Post, the Department of Homeland Security said that after Corte's initial arrest, “sanctuary politicians released him from jail back into the community.”

He illegally entered the country at least three times in 2020, and was removed each time, then illegally re-entered again, a fourth time, at an unknown place and time before the alleged kidnapping attempt, DHS told the outlet.

Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told the outlet, "This three-time deported criminal illegal alien, Carlos Corte-Corte, kidnapped an innocent four-year-old girl from a laundromat on Long Island. New York sanctuary politicians chose to release this kidnapper from jail to prey on more innocent children rather than cooperate with ICE law enforcement."

She added: “Sanctuary politicians must stop putting politics above public safety. This type of insanity leads to more crimes and more innocent victims. Thanks to our ICE law enforcement, this sicko is off our streets.”

Patch has reached out for comment.

Fifth Squad detectives have charged, Corte, 38, with second-degree kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child, and also for an outstanding warrant, police said.

He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip and was released on non-monetary conditions, with a temporary order of protection was issued, online court records show.

A request for comment by his Legal Aid Society attorney was not returned. Attorneys for the society do not normally comment on cases outside of court.