The man pursued by federal agents on Friday after being released from Santa Barbara County Jail custody had served a misdemeanor sentence, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Jhonathan CosmeAntonio, 25, of Carpinteria, jumped a fence into a secured jail area while trying to flee immigration enforcement agents, and the Sheriff’s Office cited him for trespassing.
He was injured from jumping the fence, according to authorities, and was transported to the hospital.
In this case, the ICE agents were at the jail complex within minutes of CosmeAntonio’s release from custody, according to information obtained by Noozhawk through a California Public Records Act request.
He was released at approximately 8:22 a.m. Friday. A sheriff’s deputy came upon an ICE agent blocking the jail complex’ driveway and searching for the man at 8:34 a.m.
No trespassing charges were filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court as of Monday.
CosmeAntonio had pleaded no contest to public nuisance on Jan. 5 for a 2023 criminal case, and had possession of a controlled substance for sale charges dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
He was remanded into sheriff’s custody at that January court hearing for a 180-day jail term, according to the Sheriff’s Office and Superior Court records.
Being released Friday morning means he served about 81 days in custody.
ICE agents reportedly targeted CosmeAntonio for arrest.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson from the Los Angeles office responded to Noozhawk’s questions about the incident Wednesday and said agents “attempted to arrest” the man following his release from jail. The spokesperson alleged CosmeAntonio was illegally residing in the United States, but that could not be confirmed.
“When ICE officers identified themselves and attempted to take (the) individual into custody, the alien fled on foot and jumped a fence onto Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office property,” the emailed statement said.
The DHS statement said CosmeAntonio is not in ICE custody.
ICE officers “responding to assist” on Friday morning were involved in a “minor vehicle incident” on the way, the DHS statement said. Witnesses said a vehicle crashed into a curb and embankment, disabling the car and blocking the roadway until it could be towed from the scene. No injuries were reported, according to DHS.
The statement does not name CosmeAntonio but alleged “the individual in this case” has a “long rap sheet of arrests.” Superior Court files show the misdemeanor conviction for public nuisance and a vehicle infraction allegation that was dismissed.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not file a TRUTH Act request regarding CosmeAntonio, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The TRUTH (Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds) Act governs how local law enforcement can cooperate with ICE regarding people in custody.
For people who qualify, the Sheriff’s Office can notify ICE of that person’s release date from jail custody. Then ICE can “re-arrest” that person only if agents are present at the time they are released.
Typically, ICE files many more requests than the Sheriff’s Office approves each year. Not all qualified people are re-arrested by ICE.
In 2025, ICE made 221 requests for notification or access, and 28 qualified, the Sheriff’s Office said. Of those 28 people, 12 were transferred to ICE custody.
The county holds an annual hearing on the TRUTH Act, typically in May.
At last year’s hearing, Undersheriff Craig Bonner said requests for access were increasing, but the number of people in jail custody who qualify and are re-arrested by ICE seemed to be trending downward.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a statement from a DHS Los Angeles spokesperson.