DUBLIN, IRELAND (April 12, 2026) — A U.S. citizen identified as Samuel McVey, a fugitive from New Rochelle, New York, where he faces aggravated harassment charges and two active bench warrants after failing to appear in court, was expelled from Colombia and banned from reentering the country for up to ten years, according to government officials and local news reports after incidents at multiple schools in the Aburrá Valley and eastern Antioquia, Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez said.
McVey, a former Isaac E. Young Middle School teacher in New Rochelle, was arrested in New Rochelle on March 17, 2026, on a charge of aggravated harassment in the second degree, a misdemeanor, after an investigation into threats made against the New Rochelle schools superintendent. He failed to appear in New Rochelle City Court on March 26, 2026, where Judge Jared R. Rice issued a bench warrant, and did not appear again on April 1, 2026, leaving two outstanding bench warrants active.
Talk of the Sound first reported on Thursday, April 9, 2026, that McVey had been taken into custody by Colombian National Police in the Medellín area.
El Pais reported that McVey entered at least three schools in the Las Palmas sector of Medellín on Wednesday, April 8. There, he allegedly caused disturbances and intimidated people inside the institutions, and after these events, he moved toward eastern Antioquia. Hours later, another incident was reported in the Llanogrande area of the municipality of Rionegro, where he allegedly attempted to enter a school by posing as an English teacher. When he was unable to do so, he reportedly made threats, prompting school officials and parents to call the police.
Medellín Security Secretary Manuel Villa Mejía confirmed that, following the reports, a coordinated effort between the Metropolitan Police, units in Rionegro, and Antioquia Police allowed authorities to locate the McVey in that area of the department.
Colombian authorities arrested McVey for similar behavior and notified the New Rochelle Police Department, which confirmed it was aware of his custody in Colombia and expects to file additional charges. New Rochelle police do not extradite individuals for misdemeanor offenses.
McVey told Robert Cox of Talk of the Sound on Friday that he departed Colombia on Thursday aboard a JetBlue flight from José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) — commonly known as the “Medellín airport,” though it is actually located in Rionegro, outside central Medellín. He arrived at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) on Thursday evening. When asked about his location on Friday, he replied, “Miami.”
McVey stated that he has no intention of returning to New Rochelle. Unless the charge he faces in New York is upgraded to a felony, he will not be extradited. At present, he faces only a misdemeanor charge.
There has been considerable confusion in Colombia regarding the precise circumstances of Samuel McVey’s departure from the country following a deportation order issued by the Centro Facilitador de Servicios Migratorios Medellín, the Regional Antioquia office.
On April 9, 2026, Robert Cox of Talk of the Sound interviewed New Rochelle Police Department Captain J. Collins Coyne, Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division, regarding the arrest of Samuel McVey in Colombia. McVey has since been deported from Colombia, but his current whereabouts remain unknown.
Interview Excerpt:
Robert Cox: Is the NRPD aware of McVey’s custody in Colombia?
Captain Coyne: Yes. We have been in contact with the school in Colombia where he engaged in similar criminal conduct, and we have also been in contact with Colombian authorities.
Robert Cox: Has the NRPD or U.S. authorities requested assistance from Colombian law enforcement regarding McVey?
Captain Coyne: Colombian authorities notified us that he was arrested for behavior similar to his conduct here.
Robert Cox: Has a provisional or formal extradition request been made or processed?
Captain Coyne: Colombian authorities told us they are deporting him due to his behavior. No such request was made by us, as we cannot extradite on misdemeanors.
Robert Cox: Any additional details on his U.S. case status or outstanding warrants?
Captain Coyne: We anticipate additional charges to be filed against McVey here in New Rochelle. We currently have two outstanding warrants for him.
Manuel Villa Mejía, Secretary of Security and Coexistence (Secretario de Seguridad y Convivencia) of Medellín:
Federico Gutiérrez is the Mayor of Medellín.
Camila Gaviria Barreneche, commonly known as “Cami Gaviria,” is an elected member of the Medellín City Council and a public-facing commentator on local issues.
Others of note:
BLURADIO: Estadounidense fue detenido en Rionegro tras intimidaciones en tres colegios del Oriente
RELATED
Sam McVey Gives His Account of Recent Events in Colombia (4/11/2026)
New Rochelle Teacher in Threat Case Effectively a Fugitive After Missing Court, Warrants Active (4/7/2026)
Bench Warrant Issued for New Rochelle Teacher in Threat Case After Missed Court Date(3/30/2026)
New Rochelle Teacher Denies Sending Threatening Email, Blames Third Party (3/28/2026)
What Is a “True Threat” Under New York Law? A Guide to the McVey Case (3/19/2026)
Middle School Teacher Allegedly Threatens New Rochelle School Superintendent, Arrested and Charged (3/18/2026)
Threat Against New Rochelle Superintendent Prompts Heightened Security at Middle School(2/5/2026)
This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.
Have information about this story? Email robertcox@talkofthesound (preferred) or contact via WhatsApp: +353 089 972 0669.