Sewickley father to be released from ICE detention after criminal charges against him dropped

A Sewickley father is set to be released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody after being held in detention for months following a decision by an immigration judge to grant him bond on Monday.

Bruno Guedes da SIlva is expected to be released on a $5,000 bond that the immigration judge set after he was arrested by ICE officers in February in Glen Osborne as he drove to work with his wife.

Mr. da Silva's arrest drew outrage across the suburban Ohio River community - capturing the attention of state and local lawmakers - in part, because it separated him from his 6-year-old daughter who is receiving treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma in Pittsburgh.

The immigration court's decision comes after Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala's office dropped a pair of gun charges last week filed against Mr. da Silva in January. The charges stemmed from a form he filled out while trying to purchase a handgun at a McCandless firearm store in July 2024, marking "no" on a question asking if he was in the country illegally.

Thomas Farrell, the attorney representing Mr. da Silva in the criminal case, told the Post-Gazette last week that his client had a driver's license, a Social Security card, work authorization, and a pending asylum case.

Mr. Farrell said the question on the firearm form was unclear and Mr. da Silva did not intentionally lie when filling out the document.

"He has all the trappings of someone allowed to be here, so he's not now an illegal alien," Mr. Farrell said.

Mr. da Silva's wife, Ana Paula, thanked Mr. Zappala's office and his legal team on Monday in a statement provided to the Post-Gazette by Hadley Haas, who has been acting as a spokesperson for the da Silva family.

"We sincerely thank the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office for its fairness and compassion in withdrawing all charges against Bruno, Tom Farrell for his outstanding work on the criminal case, and the Sewickley community for the overwhelming support shown to our family during this difficult time," Ms. da Silva said in the statement.

"We are especially grateful to his immigration attorney, Peter Rogers, whose tireless advocacy helped secure Bruno's release so he can return home and be with his young daughter as she undergoes critical medical treatment," the statement said. "This outcome means everything to our family."

Ms. Haas said Mr. da Silva's family is working to secure the bond amount and she expects him to be released by Tuesday.

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This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 3:54 PM.