Laramie County Sheriff’s Office complies with immigration-related records request

CHEYENNE — Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak appeared in district court Thursday morning, as requested by a local judge, to explain his office’s decision not to allow a law firm to review records pertaining to an immigration case. 

The case concerns Mario Fabian Valenzuela Robles, a Mexican citizen who was pulled over for a traffic violation on April 23 before being detained by the sheriff’s office and taken to an ICE facility in Aurora, Colorado. 

Valenzuela Robles, who is free on bond while his habeas case is pending, was stopped in his truck by a law enforcement officer because his taillights were “kind of dark” and his vehicle had “tinted windows,” a court filing in his habeas case explains.

Lichter & Associates, also known as Lichter Immigration, is serving as Valenzuela Robles’ representation. Lichter also retained Kevin Lewis, a Laramie County resident, as an investigator.

The issue at hand Thursday was records requests made by Lewis and counsel, as Lewis visited both the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office and Cheyenne Police Department multiple times between April 24 and May 27. At first, he was told there were no arrest or detention reports and that he would have to prove he was representing Valenzuela Robles to be granted the records requested.

His amended records request included letterhead from Lichter & Associates to indicate he was indeed representing Valenzuela Robles and was allowed to view the evidence requested. The sheriff’s office informed him it still did not have the report.

While this was ongoing, the complaint documents that immigration proceedings concerning Valenzuela Robles’ potential removal from the country were “moving at a very fast pace, and the records were vital to his defense.”

On May 21, Lewis again returned to the CPD and was informed that the department was not involved in the arrest and detention of Valenzuela Robles. Lewis then went to the sheriff’s office and received a report documenting the encounter, detention and arrest of Valenzuela Robles.

The report stated that the CPD was involved, purporting it possessed all of the digital material and that an officer from the department was involved.

With this information, Lewis returned to the CPD and showed staff the document he had just received seemingly showing the department’s involvement. The records department staff member who viewed the report stated this report was a “complete fabrication.”

Kozak stated in a social media video after a lawsuit was filed against him June 30 that this was the result of a copy-and-paste error. County Attorney Mark Voss stated in court Thursday that the error was due to an officer mistakenly mixing the details of two separate arrests.

Lewis obtained the revised report, which includes a statement that body camera footage was recorded and stored by the sheriff’s office.

Since Lewis and counsel obtained both the original incorrect report and the revised report, they “have held several discussions with the Laramie County attorney to obtain the records,” the complaint states.

Attorney Drake Hill, representing both of the plaintiffs, Lichter & Associates and Lewis, spoke in court Thursday, first documenting as he described it the “sheriff’s change of heart,” as the sheriff’s office decided Wednesday night to provide the digital records requested. He went on to say that the withholding of the records was “egregious,” and because of that “it warrants examination.”

He also requested a search of the sheriff’s office computer systems pertaining to Valenzuela Robles, including the terms used for said search to show the search procedures and ensure no evidence was missed. Hill noted this request was specifically due to “what has gone on,” in regard to the previous attempts to access records, with it culminating in the complaint before them.

Hill finished his remarks by noting that he thought a penalty phase would be appropriate, as he “believed it was important to address” due to perceiving “the intentionality and willfulness” of Kozak’s actions.

Voss responded to these remarks by first outlining that the initial report was not intentional but was a mistake. He then described the records request processes, and how digital release has “a second layer of confidentiality” due to the potential to be released on the internet.

He also voiced his sympathy for Valenzuela Robles, whom he described as “the poster child of ICE detainees” in that he had built a family and a business and was “paying taxes for benefits he would never receive.”

Voss also stated that there was “no participation by the sheriff in the delay,” noting how he himself was not absolved of blame either, as he advises the sheriff’s office on records requests. He additionally took issue with characterizing the sheriff’s actions as “knowingly false,” as described by the plaintiffs.

After all arguments were presented, First Judicial District Judge Robin Cooley ruled that all evidence such as the arrest report, digital information, and policies and procedures must be provided to the plaintiffs. She also ruled that a search of computers would occur, with Hill drafting a proposal that both he and Voss would look over and agree on.

“Given all events that have transpired, this process would provide complete transparency,” Colley said. 

A potential penalty phase will wait, along with other pending issues that will be decided at a later date. Valenzuela Robles is currently out on bond with a habeas case while his case remains unsolved and he seeks to ascertain whether his confinement is lawful.

This story was published on July 17, 2026. 

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