LAREDO, Texas - A 54-year-old undocumented Mexican National has been convicted of assaulting a Border Patrol agent, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. A federal jury in Laredo returned the verdicts today against Miguel Cabrera-Rangel following a two-day trial and less than five hours of deliberation.
During trial, the jury heard testimony from a Border Patrol (BP) agent who was investigating a report of possible undocumented aliens on a ranch near Hebbronville. He came upon a group of aliens and attempted to apprehend them. Cabrera was one of them and engaged in a struggle with the agent and gained control of the agent’s service flashlight. Cabrera punched the agent in the face and struck him with the flashlight, causing a bilateral fracture of the nose along with lacerations and contusions. Cabrera fled, but was later apprehended on a fishing boat in Copano Bay off Corpus Christi.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña presided over the trial will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Cabrera faces up to eight years imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Cabrera has been in custody since his arrest where he will remain pending that hearing.
FBI investigated the case in conjunction with BP. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Bukiewicz and Christopher Coker prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
