Construction worker punched by jail sergeant, deported to Ecuador, files lawsuit
May 19, 2026·Location: Hamilton, OH
Country of origin: Ecuador

Luis Tenelanda, an Ecuadoran construction worker who lived in the United States for over 30 years, was detained by ICE and held at Butler County Jail in Ohio in June 2025. On June 8, 2025, Sgt. Corneal Rowe allegedly punched Tenelanda in the stomach after he joined other inmates in requesting their scheduled daily break, causing him to lose consciousness and sustain injuries to his stomach and arm. Witnesses report Rowe also used racial slurs against Tenelanda and other detainees. Jail staff allegedly failed to provide proper medical care following the assault. Tenelanda was deported to Ecuador in August 2025 and filed a federal civil lawsuit in May 2026 against Sheriff Richard Jones, Sgt. Corneal Rowe, and Butler County, alleging assault, civil rights violations, failure to train staff, and patterns of excessive force. An internal affairs investigation found Rowe used only "minimal force" but violated policy by not filing an incident report.
Timeline
Sources
- More than 130 medical calls made from Butler County, Ohio jail since ICE deal, records show - Cincinnati CityBeat
citybeat.com·Jun 25, 2026·archived copy
- Immigrant sues jail housing central Ohio ICE detainees, alleging assault
aol.com·May 20, 2026·archived copy
- ohiocapitaljournal.com
- ICE detainee says jail guard punched him, called him slurs. Now he’s suing from Ecuador
fox19.com·May 19, 2026·archived copy
- New Butler County Jail lawsuit alleges assault of ICE detainee
journal-news.com·May 19, 2026·archived copy
- Construction worker detained by ICE sues over alleged assault at Butler County Jail
dayton247now.com·May 19, 2026·archived copy
- pacermonitor.com
- Lawsuit Accuses Ohio Jail Staff of Assaulting Ecuadoran ICE Detainee » ¡Que Onda Magazine!
queondamagazine.com·May 28, 2026·archived copy
- Press Conference: Tenelanda Lawsuit vs. Butler County, Sheriff Jones, Sgt. Rowe — Ohio Immigrant Alliance
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