An illegal Irish immigrant who moaned about 'torture' while being stuck in custody has a history of domestic violence against his American ex-wife, court records show.
Seamus Culleton was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September.
He spent more than two decades building a life in the Boston, Massachusetts area after entering the the country in 2009 on a 90-day tourist visa waiver, then married a US citizen and applied for a marriage-based green card.
Culleton made headlines earlier this month when he claimed he was suffering 'psychological and physical torture' while in ICE custody, and insisted he was detained despite having no criminal record.
However, it has since been revealed that Culleton has active warrants out for his arrest on drug-related charges in Ireland.
Newly uncovered court documents in the US also allege he has a history of domestic violence against his American ex-wife.
Police reports obtained by the Boston Herald show Culleton violated protective orders filed against him by his ex-wife between 2019 and 2021, and also allege that he called her a racial slur in one incident.
Culleton's ex-wife, who is black, filed the protective orders after he allegedly physically abused her when they lived together in November of 2019, forcing her to move out of the apartment.
Irish immigrant Seamus Culleton (pictured), who claimed his is being 'tortured' while in ICE custody, has a history of domestic violence against his American ex-wife, records show
Just one day after his ex-wife moved out, Boston Police were called to her parents' house after they received reports that Culleton was harassing her and 'wishing death on her.'
'About 12.17pm on Friday November 15 , 2019, Officer Burke in the C411D unit responded to a radio call for a Violation of a Restraining Order Report. The Officer was advised that the caller has a restraining order against her husband, he is calling and threatening her,' the responding officer wrote in his report.
'[The victim] stated to the officer that Culleton stated that he 'wished death on her' and that 'he was going to get her fired and [REDACTED] fired.' [The victim] explained that [REDACTED] was a friend who Culletin did not like and that he would try to get him fired from his job. The officer advised [the victim] that since there is no knowledge yet if Culletin had been served with his copy of the restraining order that the officer would write a threats report for her for this incident,' the report said.
The reported listed two offenses allegedly committed by Culleton: criminal harassment and threats to do bodily harm.
Several weeks later, Boston Police were called again about an alleged restraining order violation by Culleton.
His ex-wife claimed she had received a text message that included a racial slur she believed to be sent by Culleton.
'[The victim] stated that she is unfamiliar with this number but believes it to be that of her husband,' the report stated.
'The text message contained a racial epithet referring to the victim as '[expletive] scum.'
As of February 25, Culleton remains in ICE custody at a detention facility in El, Paso, Texas
Boston Police documented the restraining order violation, but did not put Culleton under arrest.
A court hearing was held in July 2021 over the incident, but neither Culleton nor his ex-wife appeared, resulting in the case being dropped, according to the Boston Herald.
The Daily Mail contacted the Boston Police Department for more information.
Since his split with his ex-wife, Culleton remarried another woman named Tiffany Smyth, and the couple lives in the Boston area with their two dogs where he runs a plastering company.
As of February 25, Culleton remains in ICE custody at a detention facility in El, Paso, Texas, records show. A judge denied his bid for freedom earlier this month.
Speaking to Ireland's RTÉ radio on February 10, Culleton described the detention center as 'torture' and said he is 'in fear for my life here.'
'The best way I could describe it is probably like a modern day concentration camp,' the Kilkenny native said from the facility.
'People have been killed by the security staff here. You don't know what's going to happen on a day-to-day basis. It's a nightmare down here.'
ICE responded to Culleton’s allegations on its official X account, reiterating that 'this man overstayed his visa… BY 16 YEARS.'
