Blue State police failed to inform the public after an illegal immigrant allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl

Several months after he illegally entered the United States, Albany police arrested a Turkish man for rape but decided not to immediately inform the public.

Albany police arrested Sakir Akkan, a 21-year-old Turkish citizen seeking asylum in the United States, on June 18 after he allegedly threatened a 15-year-old girl with a gun and then raped her in the back seat of his car, according to the Times Union. Albany police chose not to immediately notify the public about the alleged sexual assault at the time. (RELATED: Two men ‘believed’ to be illegal immigrants accused of posing as ICE agents to extort Hispanic community)

The fact that Albany police did not issue a press release after the girl’s abduction, even though the alleged rapist was still at large at the time, has been questioned by the Times Union and others allegedly involved in the case. Albany police claim that no notification was given because they believed there was no immediate threat to the community.

“We want to assure the public that an assessment was conducted immediately after this incident was reported and it was determined that there was no immediate threat to the public,” said a statement from Police Chief Eric Hawkins obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Albany Police’s standard practice is not to release information about sexual assault via a press release to prevent further trauma to the victim unless there are other extenuating circumstances, such as when the situation poses an immediate threat to the public.”

Akkan’s immigration status was “simply not a factor” in their decision not to issue a press release at the time, he said.

Border Patrol arrested Akkan in San Diego about seven months ago after he was seen illegally entering the U.S., the Times Union reported. It remains unclear what brought him to the Albany, New York, area. He was reportedly unemployed at the time of his arrest by Albany police.

LUKEVILLE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 7: Immigrants line up at a remote U.S. Border Patrol processing center after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on December 7, 2023 in Lukeville, Arizona. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

The incident occurred in the early hours of May 14 when a 15-year-old girl sneaked out of a dormitory in the area, the Times Union reported. Akkan allegedly drove up to her in a green Toyota Prius, got out of the vehicle with a metal bar in his hand and threatened to beat her if she didn’t get in the car. He then drove her to a more secluded area.

The girl, whose identity has not been released, said Akkan threatened to hit her with the metal pipe if she did not get in the back seat. He then allegedly took off her clothes and raped her, the Times Union reported. He then let the girl out of his car and drove away.

According to the Times Union, she had defensive scratches on her legs as a result of the incident. Security camera footage helped identify the vehicle in question and confirm the girl’s statements.

Police have notified the public about alleged sexual assaults and rapes in the past, and a person familiar with the case disputed the narrative, saying Akkan posed no danger to the community, the Times Union noted.

“If an asylum seeker who abducts a child (on a public street), rapes her and then walks free is not a threat to public safety, what is a threat to public safety?” a person involved in the investigation told the Times Union.

Federal immigration authorities are also reluctant to comment on this matter.

“Due to privacy concerns, ICE is unable to provide information or comment,” an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson told DCNF.

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