ICE arrests Venezuelan man charged over NYC sewer foray, days after court release
ICE arrested Samuel Reveron Ascanio, 25, a Venezuelan man charged with trespassing after he and others emerged from a Manhattan sewer. The New York Post stresses his release by a judge; the Guardian covers the wider trend of sewer gold-hunting.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 1US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested Samuel Reveron Ascanio, a 25-year-old Venezuelan man, according to the New York Post, which reported it on 3 October. New York PostR “Samuel Reveron Ascanio, 25, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, was taken into custody after the city set him free” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1He was one of the men who emerged from a manhole at Park Avenue and East 61st Street, near the United Nations, around 4:30 a.m. on 23 September after a 911 call; the NYPD arrested him on 24 September and charged him with criminal trespassing. New York PostR “The NYPD arrested Reveron Ascanio on Sept. 24 and charged him with criminal trespassing after someone called 911” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2Kevin Rodriguez, 26, a legal US resident living in Queens, was also charged with trespassing, and police were seeking a third man; the Guardian says the pair were reportedly seen entering the sewers with four other people who have not been identified. New York PostR “Kevin Rodriguez, 26, was also charged with criminal trespassing in connection with the incident, and police were still seeking a third man” Read at New York Post ↗ The GuardianLC “The pair were allegedly spotted entering the sewers with four other people, who have yet to be identified.” Read at The Guardian ↗
Mixed · 2According to a criminal complaint, both men told detectives they went into the manhole to look for valuables washed into the storm drains and sewers; the Guardian quotes Reveron saying "gold, anything of value". New York PostR ““that they entered the manhole together to look for valuables that get washed away in the storm drains and sewers,” according to a criminal complaint” Read at New York Post ↗ The GuardianLC ““We go into the sewer and look for valuables that get stuck in the storm drains and sewers, gold, anything of value,”” Read at The Guardian ↗ Mixed · 2The sighting raised security concerns because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to stay at a nearby hotel during the UN General Assembly, but authorities said it was part of a trend of "mole people" searching for scrap metal and valuables and was unrelated to his visit; defence attorney Brian Kennedy also said there was no UN connection or "nefarious scheme". New York PostR “the incident was not related to Netanyahu’s visit, authorities said.” Read at New York Post ↗ The GuardianLC “there’s no connection to the UN or the appearance of Netanyahu or any other kind of nefarious scheme.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Right · 1Reveron Ascanio pleaded not guilty and, per the Post, was released the next day by Judge Sheridan Jack-Browne because the offence was not bail-eligible. New York PostR “He pleaded not guilty in the manhole case and was sprung on the non-bail eligible offense the next day by lefty Judge Sheridan Jack-Browne, court records show.” Read at New York Post ↗
Right · 1An ICE spokesperson said a federal arrest warrant had been issued two days before the sewer incident; police sources said it stemmed from a 20 September arrest in Queens for alleged criminal mischief, involving the stripping of parts from a U-Haul van. New York PostR “A federal arrest warrant had been issued for Reveron Ascanio two days before the sewer incident, an ICE spokesperson said.”“The warrant stemmed from a Sept. 20 arrest for alleged criminal mischief” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1ICE's New York field office director, Kenneth Genalo, said the city "recklessly released him" instead of transferring him to ICE; an NYPD spokesperson replied that the department does not participate in civil immigration enforcement under city law. New York PostR ““Instead, the city recklessly released him despite his repeated arrests and unresolved criminal charges”““The NYPD does not participate in civil immigration enforcement, in accordance with New York City laws,”” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1ICE said he entered the US illegally in August 2022 and was released under Biden-era policies; his lawyer, Brian Kennedy, said he was unaware of the ICE arrest and called the case "so petty". New York PostR ““entered the United States illegally in August 2022, but was released as a result of the Biden administration’s open border policies,””““That’s news to me,” attorney Brian Kennedy said” Read at New York Post ↗
Left · 1The Guardian places the episode in a wider run of sewer incidents, noting a 2025 Brooklyn arrest of three men also reportedly seeking gold, and an urban explorer's account that over 100 sewer trips yielded nothing more valuable than an expired credit card. The GuardianLC “there is little evidence that sewer foraging is a lucrative trade.”“the most valuable thing he found was an expired credit card.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Left · 1A city environmental protection spokesperson, Rob Wolejsza, called entering sewers "both illegal and extremely dangerous", citing toxic gases, unstable surfaces and flooding. The GuardianLC “it was “both illegal and extremely dangerous” to go into the sewers” Read at The Guardian ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Guardian treats the story as a quirky city mystery about "mole people" lured by rumours of lost gold, with a light, playful tone; it does not mention the ICE arrest.
- Emphasis
- The pattern of sewer incidents, the lack of evidence it pays, safety warnings, and the defence view that the case is minor.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The ICE arrest, the federal warrant, the judge's release of Reveron Ascanio and the immigration-status dispute.
- Charged language
- “underground invaders”“Ninja Turtles”
- For example
-
“A recent arrest suggests that underground invaders of city’s sewer system are lured by the promise of lost valuables” — The Guardian
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The New York Post frames it as an immigration-enforcement story: ICE arrested a "gold-hunting 'mole man'" after a "lefty judge" released him despite a federal warrant.
- Emphasis
- ICE's criticism of the city, sanctuary-city limits, the judge's earlier release of another migrant, and the man's immigration status and prior arrests.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Little on the sewer-gold trend's safety risks or the evidence that it rarely pays.
- Charged language
- “lefty judge”“illegal immigrant”“mole man”“recklessly released”“criminal illegal aliens”
- For example
-
“ICE arrests gold-hunting ‘mole man’ who emerged from NYC sewer — after lefty judge released him” — New York Post
“New York is a sanctuary city and its laws limit police cooperation with federal immigration agents.” — New York Post
What every side reports
- Samuel Reveron Ascanio (Reveron) and Kevin Rodriguez were charged with criminal trespassing over a September sewer incident.
- They told police they were looking for valuables, including gold, in the sewers.
- Their lawyer, Brian Kennedy, says the case has no UN or Netanyahu link.
- Other sewer sightings have occurred across New York City this year.
Where accounts differ
-
Where the men were arrested
- Left
- The Guardian says Reveron and Rodriguez were apprehended in Queens after police tracked them through video footage.
- Right
- The Post says the manhole was at Park Avenue and East 61st Street in Manhattan, and gives no location for the 24 September arrest.
-
Number of people in the sewer group
- Left
- The Guardian says the pair were allegedly seen with four other people.
- Right
- The Post says three men climbed out and police were seeking a third.
-
Whether the city should have handed him to ICE
- Left
- The Guardian does not address ICE or the release.
- Centre
- The NYPD says it does not take part in civil immigration enforcement under city law.
- Right
- ICE says the city recklessly released him instead of transferring him.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement organisation
Says New York City recklessly released a man with a prior federal warrant and unresolved charges instead of transferring him, and that it will keep enforcing immigration law.
“ICE will not allow noncooperation to deter us from enforcing federal immigration law and protecting our communities.” — New York Post
Samuel Reveron Ascanio person
Pleaded not guilty; through lawyer Brian Kennedy calls the case petty and says it has no nefarious link. He told police he was seeking valuables.
““This case is so petty,” he said of the manhole caper.” — New York Post
New York City place
The NYPD says it does not participate in civil immigration enforcement under city law; a city environmental official warns that entering sewers is illegal and dangerous.
““The NYPD does not participate in civil immigration enforcement, in accordance with New York City laws,”” — New York Post
Left1 article
-
Manhattan ‘mole’ mystery: rumors of lost gold spur clandestine excursions into New York sewers
Neutral Light-hearted explainer on New York's sewer explorers and the gold rumours, without the immigration angle.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
ICE arrests gold-hunting ‘mole man’ who emerged from NYC sewer — after lefty judge released him
Critical Immigration-enforcement angle that blames the city and a named judge for releasing a man with a federal warrant.
- 3 Oct 13:24 First New York PostR ICE arrests gold-hunting ‘mole man’ who emerged from NYC sewer — after lefty judge released him
- 4 Oct 13:00 +23h 36m The GuardianLC Manhattan ‘mole’ mystery: rumors of lost gold spur clandestine excursions into New York sewers
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.