Editor's note: This story has been updated for clarification purposes. The headline in a previous version of this story stated, “Former MPD Sgt. with credibility concerns signs off on high-profile ICE deportation.” The headline has since been changed with the words “signs off” removed. Also, a previous version of this story stated Charles Cross Jr. played a "crucial" role in the deportation. The word "crucial" has been stricken from the text. Lastly, the term "DOJ report" has been updated to clarify that it was a CoreCivic internal form filed as an exhibit in a U.S. DOJ report.
There’s a local connection to the high-profile deportation of a Venezuelan asylum seeker that’s made national headlines.
U.S. Department of Justice records show a disgraced former Milwaukee police sergeant played a role in the deportation.
That former sergeant, Charles Cross Jr., is now employed as a prison contractor in San Diego for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
This was first reported by U.S.A. Today.
We’ve since learned Cross was put on Milwaukee County’s Brady list nearly two decades ago. TMJ4’s Lighthouse team has been investigating the Brady list for months with our partners at Wisconsin Watch and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The Brady list tracks officers with alleged credibility concerns due to accusations of past crimes, untruthfulness, bias, and other integrity concerns.
Cross is a former Milwaukee police sergeant who crashed his car into a home while he was drunk in 2012. Cross was arrested by his own department after failing a field sobriety test.
Prior to that, he was convicted of criminal damage to property. The misdemeanor offense landed him on Milwaukee County’s Brady list.
That means the district attorney’s office believed Cross’ credibility was a concern that would have to be disclosed to defense attorneys if he were called to testify as a witness in a criminal case.
Despite Cross’ Brady list inclusion, U.S. Department of Justice records show Cross was hired as a facility investigator with Core Civic, a prison contractor with ICE.
The DOJ report showed Cross’ investigation helped lead to the deportation of a Venezuelan migrant named Andry Hernandez Romero due to tattoos of crowns on his arms.
A Core Civic internal form filed as an exhibit in a U.S. DOJ report stated, “The crown has been found to be an identifier for a Tren De Aragua gang member.”
DOJ documents showed that “Detainee Hernandez {Romero} stated that he is not a member of any gang.
His family backed that claim in an interview with NBC News.
His mother, Alexis Romero De Hernandez said she hasn’t heard from him in weeks and she cries worrying about her son.
Hernandez Romero’s family told NBC News that his tattoos are a tribute to his roots in a Venezuelan town and a festival for what’s called "Three Kings Day," not a gang.
Hernandez Romero is one of hundreds of migrants who were sent to Venezuela.
NBC News reports that Hernandez Romero’s family fears how he may be treated in migrant prison due to his sexual orientation as a gay man.
"We're of course worried for his safety,” said Melissa Shepard.
Shepard is with the Immigrant Defenders Law Center. She’s part of a team representing Hernandez Romero. Shepard says she wasn’t aware of Cross’ Brady violation and disciplinary history until she saw U.S.A. Today’s report on Thursday.
Watch: Former MPD Sgt. with credibility concerns signs off on high-profile ICE deportation:
“I think this really goes back to the issue of the fact that Andry was not given due process,” she said. “If this allegation was made and was used in the case of the police officer, who in part of the process to transfer him to El Salvador. It shouldn't be an officer who makes that determination. It should be an immigration judge who decides this."
TMJ4 reached out to ICE and Cross. We have yet to hear back.
TMJ4 has been in touch with Core Civic. The private contractor said Charles Cross received a thorough background check prior to being hired. Core Civic also said it, "does not enforce immigration laws, arrest anyone who may be in violation of immigration laws, or have any say whatsoever in an individual's deportation or release."
See Core Civic's full statement below.
Thank you for reaching out. There’s a lot of confusion around this matter, and we want to make the facts clear.
- Andry José Hernández Romero was brought to CoreCivic’s Otay Mesa Detention Center (OMDC) by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CoreCivic does not enforce immigration laws, arrest anyone who may be in violation of immigration laws, or have any say whatsoever in an individual’s deportation or release.
- For the safety and security of the individuals in our care, our staff and our communities, every detainee entering OMDC is screened for potential affiliation with security threat groups (STG) (e.g., criminal organizations, terrorist groups, gangs, etc.). This is an important step because it can be dangerous to house certain groups together. It would be irresponsible for us not to take these security risks into consideration.
- The STG form is part of Hernández Romero’s file, which ICE has access to. It is at ICE’s sole discretion how they use that information and what additional investigations they undertake regarding the individuals in their custody. CoreCivic does not make determinations regarding STG affiliation on behalf of ICE.
- Charles Cross received a thorough background check prior to being hired that was facilitated and approved by ICE. This is true for all employees at OMDC to ensure they meet professional standards. Cross' background has been evaluated periodically during his tenure of working at OMDC.
Our immigration facilities provide a safe, humane and appropriate environment for the individuals in our care. We operate with a significant amount of oversight and accountability, adhere to all ICE standards, and are monitored by ICE officials on a daily basis. Our immigration facilities are also audited regularly and without notice several times a year, and we’re routinely visited by elected officials, foreign government officials, attorneys, families and volunteers.
If you want to see all of the current and former officers on Milwaukee County’s Brady list, our database in partnership with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin Watch can be found below.
See all Duty to Disclose stories as they are posted here.
The Brady list is a compilation of current or former law enforcement officers deemed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office to have credibility issues. The underlying allegation can range from lying on exams to violent crimes. Just because an officer is on the list does not mean he or she was necessarily convicted or charged with a crime, or found guilty of internal misconduct. According to the office of District Attorney Kent Lovern, some cases may have resulted in an acquittal, been dismissed, or were amended to non-criminal offenses. The office says, "the database is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of February 27, 2025."
About this project
“Duty to Disclose” is a joint investigation by TMJ4, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin Watch. The collaboration was prompted by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s decision in 2024 to release its “Brady List,” a closely-guarded list of law enforcement officers with alleged credibility issues, after pressure from the news organizations.
TMJ4 Lighthouse reporter Ben Jordan, Journal Sentinel investigative reporter Ashley Luthern and Wisconsin Watch investigative reporter Mario Koran spent four months verifying the hundreds of officers on the list, discovering that it is frequently incomplete and inconsistent.
Readers with tips about the Brady List are encouraged to contact reporter Ben Jordan at ben.jordan@tmj4.com.
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