A Buffalo man is searching for answers after his close friend disappeared following an appointment with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, leaving two dogs alone inside his apartment for days.
Jesse Bettencourt contacted 7 Problem Solvers on Sunday after growing increasingly concerned about his friend Alfonso, who failed to return home from what was described as a routine ICE appointment more than a week earlier. According to Bettencourt, Alfonso’s absence raised immediate red flags, especially when his dogs were left without care.
Bettencourt said his concern deepened after he visited Alfonso’s workplace and noticed something was wrong. “I went by my friend’s work, and I saw his truck parked there,” Bettencourt told 7 News. “I called his general manager, and was told that my friend went to a random appointment at ICE that day and didn’t come back.”
Attempts to locate Alfonso through official channels proved frustrating. Bettencourt said he contacted the Buffalo Field Office and emailed ICE on Monday. When he searched ICE’s online detainee database, there was no record of Alfonso listed. As of Tuesday night, Bettencourt said he was still waiting for a response from the Buffalo office.
“This is my best friend,” Bettencourt said. “He’s the man that’ll do anything for you. He’ll never show up late for work. He’s been there 20 years working hard, and he loves this country. He came here 40 years ago and learned our language, and had the American dream to come here and work.”
As concern for Alfonso grew, attention also turned to the welfare of his two dogs, who had reportedly been left alone inside his apartment for several days. The SPCA became aware of the situation on Monday and began the process of obtaining legal permission to enter the home. When reporters returned to the apartment Tuesday morning, an SPCA violation notice was posted on the door, which had been taped shut.
SPCA officials explained that they were required to wait 12 hours before legally entering the residence. By late Tuesday morning, SPCA officers and a member of the City of Buffalo Dog Control arrived at the home. Buffalo Police officers remained outside while animal welfare officials went inside.
Both dogs were removed from the apartment and placed into an SPCA vehicle. Officials said the heat was on inside the home and that the dogs had relieved themselves indoors, but they appeared to be in stable condition when they were taken into care.
Bettencourt said he appreciated the attention the case was receiving. “I’ve reached out, of course, to Channel 7, which is the only channel that actually is taking the story right now, and I appreciate you,” he said.
After first learning about Alfonso’s disappearance, Bettencourt also contacted Lovejoy Common Councilman Bryan Bollman, who then reached out to Buffalo Police. In an effort to locate his friend, Bettencourt later went to the office of Congressman Tim Kennedy. Staff there confirmed they were looking into Alfonso’s whereabouts and whether he may have been detained by ICE.
As of the latest update, Alfonso’s location remains unknown. His dogs are now safe, but Bettencourt says the uncertainty surrounding his friend’s disappearance has been difficult to process as he continues searching for answers.
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