SWFL.io - Local NewsWINK Investigates Reporter Olivia Jean
•9/16/2026
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, (WINK) — Newly released Florida Department of Law Enforcement records obtained by WINK Investigates are providing a detailed look at what investigators say happened during an alleged assault of a detainee inside the detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”
The incident at the now-closed facility happened January 25, 2026 and the FDLE investigation focuses on Correctional Risk Services (CRS) officers Stephen Jordan Trejos and Andre Junior Seenaraine, who were working at the facility that afternoon.
Both corrections officers face one misdemeanor count of battery and have entered written pleas of not guilty in Collier County.
The FDLE investigation included surveillance video, still images, an after-action report, medical documentation and interviews with personnel.
According to the investigative report, surveillance video showed officers attempting to calm detainees who were sitting on benches and banging their handcuff chains against the metal benches.
FDLE says the alleged victim, Rigoberto Rodriguez Arce, was restrained with handcuffs and leg restraints at the time.
After officers got the other detainees to stop, the report says Rodriguez Arce continued banging his handcuff chain which drew the attention of Trejos and Seenaraine.
According to FDLE, the two officers removed Rodriguez Arce from the bench by placing their hands underneath his armpits.
The report then states: “As they were walking out of the area, Trejos punched [Rodriguez Arce] on the side of the head.”
FDLE says the officers then took Rodriguez Arce to the ground.
The report says Seenaraine attempted to gain control of Rodriguez Arce and punched him two more times.
FDLE says Seenaraine then moved outside and punched Rodriguez Arce once on the back of the head.
The report says Seenaraine then punched Rodriguez Arce two more times on the side of the head as the officers walked him away.
FDLE ultimately obtained seven video clips and two still images related to the incident.
CRS Assistant Warden Domingo Stewart told FDLE that the officers' actions were “appropriate and justified.”
Stewart also told investigators the officers had been spit on and bitten, however FDLE said the accuracy of those claims was not established after watching the surveillance video.
The report states: “The accuracy of the fact that [the detainee] bit and spit on the security officers was inconclusive at that time.”
FDLE then decided to conduct a criminal investigation.
On February 3, FDLE agents interviewed Rodriguez Arce in El Paso, Texas.
The interview was conducted under oath and audio-recorded, with an agent translating the questions into Spanish.
Federal court records identify Rodriguez Arce as a Cuban citizen who had lived in the United States since 2007 before being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in December 2025.
According to FDLE, Rodriguez Arce said he had been sitting in the outbound tent while restrained by a waist chain, handcuffs and leg shackles as two corrections officers assaulted him.
Rodriguez Arce told investigators he was struck multiple times in his face, the back of his head, torso and abdomen. He also said he began bleeding from his nose.
The report says Rodriguez Arce told investigators he “pretended to lose consciousness” in an effort to stop the assault after he had been forced to the ground.
According to the FDLE report, Rodriguez Arce was taken to medical staff for evaluation after the incident.
He also alleged that one of the corrections officers threatened him if he reported what happened.
According to the report, Rodriguez Arce said the corrections officers laughed and referenced the injuries to his face.
He was then transported to El Paso.
The photos obtained exclusively by WINK Investigates were taken approximately 72 hours after the alleged assault at a facility in El Paso, Texas.
One shows Rodriguez Arce's arm in a cast or splint, with reddish-brown staining visible on his light-colored pants.
Another shows reddish-brown stains across his clothing.
A third shows significant swelling and dark discoloration around both eyes and his nose.
WINK Investigates also spoke with Frank Rivera, who was detained at Alligator Alcatraz for four months and said he witnessed what happened to Rodriguez Arce.
Rivera described watching Rodriguez Arce being punched.
“He looked like a raccoon. He had black eyes right here. His whole nose was swollen,” he said.
Rivera disputed claims that Rodriguez Arce spit on or bit officers. He said other detainees were sitting nearby and would have seen it.
Rivera first detailed the alleged assault to WINK Investigates in July saying, “He picked them up, slammed them, and then started hitting them. I'm talking about waiting on him, you know, saying with these little brass knuckle things that they have on the gloves. He connected with him at least like six times before they, everybody like really like, 'Yo, what you doing?'”
Rivera also said Rodriguez Arce's arm had been put back into a cast and said Rodriguez Arce appeared to be in significant physical distress.
FDLE interviewed multiple officers who were working at the facility that day.
One officer told investigators detainees had been in restraints for approximately five hours and were complaining about not having water. The officer said he did not observe the use of force.
Another officer told FDLE the detainee resisted by pushing back. That officer said the only physical force he witnessed was the detainee's removal and escort.
Another officer told investigators he was working as an acting lieutenant and responded to the outbound area after hearing loud chanting and seeing detainees causing a disturbance.
The officer added that a specific detainee was not cooperating with Captain Trejos, and that Trejos and the detainee got “in each other’s face.” The officer said his back was turned toward the area where the escort and removal took place, and he did not observe any use of force.
Several other CRS officers declined to participate in FDLE interviews.
Trejos has filed a motion seeking to dismiss the case and has cited self-defense. His defense position is that the force used was justified.
WINK Investigates reached out to Trejos' attorney for comment Tuesday. His secretary told us the attorney was on vacation.
WINK Investigates reached out to Seenaraine's attorney Tuesday but did not receive a response.
In a previous response to WINK Investigates, his attorney said: “"These are serious allegations, and we understand why they have drawn attention. Mr. Seenaraine has entered a plea of not guilty. He is presumed innocent, and that presumption applies today exactly as it did before he was charged. The publicly available charging documents contain almost no detail, and much of what has been reported comes from secondhand accounts that have not been verified. What has been reported so far is a small fraction of the record in this case. We look forward to presenting the rest of it where it belongs, in the courtroom. That's all I'm going to say while this case is pending."
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