Federal prosecutors on Monday detailed years of alleged domestic abuse by a Cincinnati-based U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) supervisor against his non-citizen girlfriend.
During a federal court hearing on Monday, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Karen Litkovitz agreed with Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Garcia that Samuel Saxon, 47, should remain in the Butler County Jail while his federal case plays out, calling the suspended ICE leader a “violent individual.”
Saxon, an assistant field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Cincinnati, faces several state charges for allegedly strangling his girlfriend on Dec. 5 at their Corryville apartment.
Court records state officers observed visible bruising on the woman’s neck and that witnesses saw Saxon place her in a chokehold before dragging her into an apartment. An officer testified in Hamilton County Court that police have been called to the apartment roughly two dozen times in the last year and a half. Saxon pleaded not guilty to felonious assault, strangulation and domestic violence charges in Hamilton County Court.
On Dec. 19, Saxon was charged with lying to investigators during an interview with a Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) agent. Prosecutors claim Saxon lied to the DHS OIG agent about his contact with the victim on Dec. 5. Saxon was transferred Dec. 19 from the Hamilton County Jail to the Butler County Jail, where ICE detainees in southwest Ohio are held under a contract with the federal government. The jail also houses federal prisoners under a separate agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service.
Saxon pleaded not guilty to the federal charge on Dec. 22. During that hearing, Garcia showed video clips from as far back as 2020 that appear to depict Saxon being abusive to his girlfriend. Prosecutors said the alleged victim is a noncitizen who was 18 years old when she started dating Saxon, who was 40.
Details of alleged verbal and physical abuse
One video played in court allegedly depicts Saxon calling the woman a “stupid fucking bitch” and threatening to kill her: “If I see you here in three days, you will be executed.”
In another, Saxon can allegedly be heard calling the woman a “scum whore” while spraying her with soap.
Prosecutors cited medical reports in court detailing a pattern of physical violence from Saxon against the woman.
Garcia pointed to an April 2025 medical report showing Saxon’s girlfriend was hospitalized for a broken pelvis, a record she later showed to Blue Ash Police when asking for help. BAPD records show a report was made two days before the alleged Dec. 5 attack detailing her injuries from April, but she ultimately declined medical attention and was instructed to reach out to the Cincinnati Police Department.
Garcia also pointed to an August incident when EMTs responded to Saxon’s apartment to find his girlfriend appearing “emaciated.”
When an officer asked her why she had not left Saxon, she reportedly responded, “I’m trying but it’s hard.”
Concerns about ongoing employee reviews
For now, Saxon’s federal case will take precedent over his state case, but those charges still remain. The DHS OIG agent who recommended the federal charge investigated the case because her “duties include investigating whether a DHS employee has committed a crime and preparing a report to ICE regarding whether one of its employees has engaged in criminal misconduct,” according to court documents. It’s unclear if this is the first time DHS OIG has investigated Saxon. CityBeat has requested his personnel file from the agency. Saxon’s current supervisor at ICE told prosecutors that he has a bad temper and will “go off” unexpectedly.
“He is a loose cannon,” Garcia said in court.
DHS claims to conduct ongoing reviews of its workforce after initial background checks, though current and former officials have raised concerns to NBC News about lapses as hiring has accelerated during President Donald Trump’s second-term immigration crackdown. Saxon received a departmental service award in 2016 for long-term contributions to the agency, according to an agency news release.
Saxon has been suspended from his job at ICE since his arrest, according to statements made by his attorneys in court.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 is free, available 24/7 and allows you to speak confidentially with trained advocates who can help you develop a plan to reach safety.