NEWTON — A Newton man charged after a fight at a Japanese restaurant on Northwest Boulevard is also under a federal immigration detainer, according to Catawba County jail and court records.
Putu Saputra, 38, was arrested Saturday, Sept. 5, by the Newton Police Department and charged with simple affray, a misdemeanor that covers fighting in a public place. Jail records list him as Putu Andri Saputra-andyana and show the immigration detainer alongside the charge. Catawba First News previously published his Who’s In Jail booking from the county roster.
The charging papers identify the location as Tosaka, a public place. Tosaka Authentic Japanese operates on Northwest Boulevard in Newton. The document alleges Saputra and a second man struck each other. That second man is not charged in this case and is not being named here.
A magistrate set a $2,000 secured bond. In the written bond explanation, the magistrate said a criminal history for the defendant could not be obtained and that it was unknown whether Saputra is a U.S. citizen. The same language appears on the order committing him to the jail.
A search of North Carolina’s statewide court index under his name and date of birth shows only this Catawba County case. That index covers North Carolina courts and would not reflect out-of-state or federal records.
An immigration detainer is a request from federal immigration authorities asking a jail to hold someone for up to 48 hours past the point they would otherwise be released so agents can take custody. It is not a criminal charge and does not establish guilt. North Carolina law has required sheriffs to comply with detainers since December 2024.
Saputra is scheduled to appear in Catawba County District Court on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 10 a.m. in Newton.
Saputra has not been convicted. The charge is an allegation, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Reporting note: Court and jail details were first summarized publicly by Catawba Valley News & Weather; Catawba First News also reviewed the county Who’s In Jail roster and links to its own booking post.
