Man in Nassau County deputy case charged with felony reentry

The undocumented immigrant suspected of running from Nassau County deputy Eric Oliver was charged with felony reentry during a detention hearing Monday.

Francisco Obidio Portillo-Fuentes, from El Salvador, had been deported twice. 

Portillo-Fuentes, 26, reportedly ran from Nassau County deputy Eric Oliver on Nov. 22. Dep. Oliver was assisting Border Control agents during a check of a vehicle with six people inside when Portillo-Fuentes reportedly ran.

During the chase, Oliver was struck by a car and killed. The funeral for Dep. Oliver was held Nov. 26. He leaves behind a 6-year-old daughter.

Portillo-Fuentes had reentered in the United States less than a week earlier. His court-appointed lawyer said Monday that his client should not be charged with Oliver's death because he didn't intend to hurt the deputy.

Portillo-Fuentes has another hearing on Dec. 5 and is expected to plead guilty to the felony reentry charge, his lawyer said.

Action News Jax Law and Safety expert Dale Carson said that Portillo-Fuentes could be charged with felony murder.

“Under the circumstances, the officer was killed while he was trying to make an arrests on an individual who fled,” Carson said.

Cox Media Group