This page was originally created to raise awareness about the wrongful imprisonment of Torben Sondergaard in 2022-2023. Today it serves as an archive page. Find Torben’s new website on torbensondergaard.com.

CLARIFICATION ON “SMUGGLING” CHARGES

TORBEN WAS MISLED BY THE AGENT WHO DETAINED HIM. CLARIFICATION ON THE NOTION TORBEN WAS ETAINED ON “SMUGGLING” CHARGES.

My name is Lene Sondergaard. I am the wife of pastor, Torben Sondergaard. The purpose of this letter is clarify any misunderstandings around the notion that Torben was detained on weapons smuggling charges.​

Let me first start by stating that Torben has NOT been charged with weapons smuggling charges or any crime for that matter.
 
Many people are under the impression that Torben has been detained on weapons smuggling charges.
 
The source of this notion was Torben himself when he shared his experience of being detained and narrated a comment made by the agent that detained him.
 
On July 3, 2022, a letter from Torben was posted on The Last Reformation’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.
 
At the time of that post, Torben had been detained for just few days.
 
In the letter Torben described the conversation that took place between him and the agents when they detained him.
 
He narrated a specific comment the arresting agent said, “…they suddenly said that the real reason I was there was because they had been notified that I was smuggling weapons from Mexico to America, and I was in shock.”
 
A few lines later Torben goes on to narrate his response to the agent, “…I have NEVER had anything to do with smuggling weapons.  I know NOTHING about smuggling weapons.”
 
(*Please note – The original post containing this message has been taken down from YouTube and Facebook to avoid causing any further confusion, but the full text from that message is pasted below for reference.)
 
The notion that my husband was involved in weapons smuggling is absurd. I have no idea how someone could even mistake him for being involved in such an activity.
 
Regardless, for a US government agent to say this was shocking and terrifying and confusing for Torben and our family.
 
Not surprisingly, the detail in Torben’s letter about “weapons smuggling” was shared and reposted widely on social media, as well as referenced in a few news articles.
 
In summation – that is the sequence of events that generated the notion about “smuggling”.
 
However, once Torben was able to secure legal representation and obtain documents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, we say that he was not charged with any crimes. There is ZERO reference to weapons smuggling or any other crimes in the documents that have been provided.
 
In fact, there is a witness that claims the same agent who detained Torben, a month after his detention, said Torben was not being held on weapons charges.
 
It is unfortunate that Torben was misled by the agent who detained him.
 
Understandably, and as a result, the reason for Torben’s detention has been very confusing. Torben has never been arrested and as absurd as it was, had no reason to doubt what US government agent was saying.
 
We hope this clarifies this point about “smuggling” once and for all.
 
In Christ,
 
Lene Sondergaard
(Wife of Torben Sondergaard)
 
 
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ORIGINAL TEXT FROM TORBEN’S MESSAGE POSTED ON July 30, 2022

Hello everyone out there.  I, Torben Sondergaard, am sharing this message with you from a phone call in Bakers Jail near Jacksonville, Florida, where I have been detained for two days in isolation after the most crazy days of my life.  I don’t remember all the details, so maybe I will be wrong about some of the details I’m saying here, so I need you to forgive me, but I don’t have any pen or anything to write with, so this is just coming out of my memory through a phone call to my wife Lene, so we can get it up here on Facebook and YouTube to all of you out there. 

First, I know many of you have heard about it and are praying for me, and I thank you so much.  It means so much to me to know that you are out there praying.  This Thursday, I was invited to a meeting with Homeland Security who wanted to talk about my asylum case – a case where I, in Denmark three years ago, was accused of doing many things I had not done, and where I ended up fleeing to America seeking asylum. 
But then, they suddenly said that the real reason I was there was because they had been notified that I was smuggling weapons from Mexico to America, and I was in shock. 

I have been staying in California with my wife and kids and we have just finished up a Bible school over the border in Mexico, where many of our helpers traveled from Mexico to America several times a week, but NONE of them were smuggling weapons, and I have NEVER had anything to do with smuggling weapons.  I know NOTHING about smuggling weapons. 

But there, they brought it up on the table and said that because of what they have heard, and because of all the crazy things happening in America right now, they see me as a national threat, and therefore they have chosen to detain me.  Afterwards, I was put up against the wall, put in handcuffs, and led into a room.  Later I was put in handcuffs again on my hands and on my feet, and then brought to Orange Jail where I was sitting on a chair for eight hours waiting, before I was put into a room with twenty other people.  This was one of the most unreal experiences in my life.  I talked with my wife Lene on the phone and we talked about that maybe God brought me there for a person, and it so happened that I prayed for one guy who got healed and he started to cry and said, “Whoa, God has truly sent you here to me because two days ago I prayed that God would send somebody to me.”  So I had a beautiful moment with God even though it was terribly hard. 

I almost didn’t sleep that night.  The next morning they came and picked me up again with handcuffs on my hands and feet, and put me in a car, and I was driven three hours to Bakers Detention where I am now, where I’ve been sent to isolation for seven days.  To come here was a shock.  My room is very small.  It is 7.13 feet or 2.3 meters.  I am in isolation 24/7, where I can come out a half hour per day, and use the phone as I’m doing right now.  Otherwise, I have nothing in there.  The room is very dirty and moldy.  I have not talked with the lawyer yet and I actually don’t know what is going on yet.

But, I want to say to all of you out there, I’ve tried many crazy things in my life, but nothing like this.  I want to encourage you all to pray for me and stand together with me, because this is an attack on me because I’m preaching the Gospel.  I am encouraged, because Jesus says, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:16-20, 23)  And He also says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
(Matthew 5:10-12)  This is what is happening right now. 

It has been hard, and it is hard, but I also see that God is changing me in all of this.  To be in isolation, with no windows, and no clock, and talking with no one is just a weird experience.  People are sometimes shouting from one cell to another, but it seems like almost everyone here speaks Spanish except for me.

I’m reminded of Paul’s words when he wrote, “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the Gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the Word without fear.”
(Philippians 1:12-14)  Paul said that his chains would give them more boldness, and I’m encouraged that even with my chains, that you will get more boldness to preach the Gospel out there!

This is what I want to say to you out there – BE BOLD!  PREACH THE GOSPEL!  STAND FIRM on the WORD OF GOD, and please pray for me, and pray for my family.  Pray that everything will turn out good here.  This will also have an influence on my asylum case, so I will hopefully know more in a few days, and I will keep you updated here on my Facebook page and YouTube.

Again, I cannot answer anything.  Please pray for me.  If you know somebody in a high position, somebody who can help, then please reach out to us.  All communication can happen via email at The Last Reformation website, where I have friends who are checking the emails, and you are also welcome to reach out to my wife.

I have probably forgotten to say a lot of things in this message, since I cannot read it, I just have to quote it, so please bear with me.  But I want to say, these last days have been something I have never, ever experienced before, and I never thought I would experience – being jailed this way, and for something as crazy as smuggling weapons from another country to America.  Nothing could be further from the truth. 

So please keep me in your prayers, and pray that God will continue doing a work in me.  I feel that every day He is changing me, and doing a great work in my heart. When I do nothing else than sleep  and pray and eat.  God bless you all out there.  Remember my family in your prayers. 

Blessings,

Torben Sondergaard

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