A security guard working at the Krome Service Processing Center, the main immigration detention facility in South Florida, has been apprehended for allegedly stealing $5,382 in cash from a detainee who was being processed for deportation.
The accused individual, Matthew Christian Torres, 31, hails from Palmetto Bay. Torres was not a direct employee of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency but was employed by Akima Protective Services, a private contracting company operating at the site located in southwest Miami.
The incident came to light when Krome personnel were preparing deportation documents for a detainee identified only by the initials W.J., who reported the missing cash.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) representative at the facility provided investigators with surveillance footage from August 19.
The footage, reviewed on-site, shows Torres placing the victim's money inside a logbook without recording it in the property ledger. According to the arrest report from the Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Department, the cameras later captured the guard concealing the money in his black jacket before entering an employee restroom.
Upon returning to the common area, Torres retrieved a clear plastic bag containing the cash from his jacket and placed it into his right pants pocket.
The report states that Torres "never reported the victim's money to a supervisor."
Authorities arrested him at the facility and transferred him to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he faces a charge of third-degree grand theft, a felony under Florida law punishable by up to five years in prison. As of Wednesday, his bail was set at $2,500.
This case casts a spotlight on Akima Protective Services, whose affiliated company, Akima Infrastructure Protection, secured a potential contract of up to $685.5 million with ICE in August 2024 for detention support services at Krome. These services include detainee management, transportation, food services, and detainee banking.
ICE released a statement asserting that it "takes allegations of misconduct very seriously" and demands "the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct" from its personnel and contractors, adding that it thoroughly investigates every complaint received.
The case is under investigation by the Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Department.
Krome has faced ongoing allegations of substandard conditions, with severe overcrowding reported in 2025, when approximately 1,700 individuals were housed in a space designed for 600.
Key Details About the Miami ICE Facility Theft
Who is involved in the theft case at the Miami ICE facility?
The case involves Matthew Christian Torres, a security guard employed by Akima Protective Services, who is accused of stealing over $5,000 from a detainee at the Krome Service Processing Center.
What actions did ICE take in response to the theft allegations?
ICE stated that it takes misconduct allegations very seriously and requires its staff and contractors to adhere to high standards of conduct. The agency is conducting a thorough investigation into the incident.
What are the conditions like at the Krome Service Processing Center?
The Krome facility has been criticized for poor conditions, including reports of severe overcrowding in 2025, where it housed around 1,700 people in a space meant for 600.