Local News

ICE arrests Turkish national for allegedly assaulting intellectually disabled Somerville resident

Berkan Karamurtlu, 27, entered the U.S. legally in 2021 but is now being detained due to the charges.

February 15, 2025

2 minutes to read

A Turkish national has been detained after his arrest in Somerville on assault and witness intimidation charges, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials announced Wednesday.

Berkan Karamurtlu, 27, faces one charge of assault and battery against a household member, one charge of witness intimidation, and two charges of assault and battery against a person with an intellectual disability, according to ICE officials. He has been detained since Wednesday.

Karamurtlu lawfully entered the U.S. on Oct. 11, 2021, through John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. ICE said the charges violate the terms of Karamurtlu’s admission to the country.

ICE @EROBoston arrests illegal Turkish national charged with witness intimidation and assault & battery on intellectually disabled person.
Link: https://t.co/iJn7cnS2MD pic.twitter.com/I1Bc5yOr5j
— ERO Boston (@EROBoston) February 12, 2025

Karamurtlu was first arraigned in Somerville District Court on Dec. 24, 2024, on charges of assault and battery on an intellectually disabled person and witness intimidation. At that time, ICE lodged an immigration detainer against Karamurtlu with the Somerville District Court. However, ICE said the court “ignored the detainer” and released Karamurtlu from custody.

The court again arraigned Karamurtlu on Jan. 21 for the offenses of assault and battery on a person with an intellectual disability and assault and battery on a family or household member. At that point, ICE lodged another detainer against Karamurtlu with the Medford Police Department, which complied with the request.

“This is a tragic example of what can go wrong when local jurisdictions refuse to honor immigration detainers,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde said in a statement. “The local jurisdiction ignored our detainer and released Berkan Karamurtlu into the community. Unfortunately, he re-offended resulting in a second arrest for assaulting an intellectually disabled resident. Fortunately, the local authorities honored our second detainer and Karamurtlu is now in ICE custody. ICE Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by apprehending and removing egregious alien offenders.”

Jennifer Donahue, a spokesperson for the state court system, told the Boston Globe that “court officers are prohibited from assisting or interfering with ICE agents in executing their obligations under Federal law.”

“That means that a court officer will not interfere with ICE arresting an individual who has been released. On the other hand, court officers are prohibited from keeping a released individual in custody awaiting an ICE agent,” Donahue told the outlet. “Massachusetts Court officials do not have the authority to hold an individual in custody solely on the basis of a Federal Civil Immigration Detainer.”