PHILIPSBURG, PA — Early Monday morning, detention staff at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center found 32-year-old Chinese national Chaofeng Ge hanging and unresponsive in a shower room.
Officials said Ge was discovered at 5:21 a.m. and staff immediately began CPR before calling Philipsburg Emergency Medical Services, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Clearfield County coroner. Ge was pronounced dead at 6:03 a.m. The cause of death remains under investigation.
Ge had been in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for five days while awaiting an immigration hearing before the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. He was being held following his release from a Pennsylvania prison where he served time for accessing another person’s device without permission and conspiracy to commit the same offense.
The Lower Paxton Township Police arrested Ge on January 23 for criminal use of a communication facility, unlawful use of a computer, and access device fraud. He pleaded guilty on July 31 and was sentenced to six to twelve months for each count, with immediate release to ICE custody. He was processed at ICE’s York office before being transferred to Moshannon Valley Processing Center.
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Key Points
- Chaofeng Ge, 32, died in ICE custody at Moshannon Valley Processing Center early Monday
- He was found hanging in a detention pod shower room and pronounced dead at 6:03 a.m.
- Ge had been in custody for five days after serving a sentence for computer-related crimes