U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani | U.S. Department of Justice
A former deputy from Webb County, Texas, has been charged with allegations of sexual assault and falsification of records while on duty. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ignacio Rodriguez IV, aged 27, is set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos on January 9 at 9:41 am for his initial court appearance.
The federal grand jury returned a sealed two-count indictment against Rodriguez on January 7, which was unsealed following his arrest. According to the indictment, the incident occurred on September 1, 2024, when Rodriguez allegedly stopped a vehicle during his duties and sexually assaulted the driver. He is accused of threatening the victim with a firearm and committing aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact. Additionally, he allegedly turned off his body-worn camera and dash camera during the encounter, obstructing justice.
If convicted of these charges, Rodriguez could face up to life imprisonment for the civil rights violation and up to 20 years for falsifying records. The charges also include potential fines reaching $250,000.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI in collaboration with the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Ann Cortez and Brandon Scott Bowling are handling the prosecution.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an accusation of criminal conduct and not evidence of guilt. The defendant remains presumed innocent until proven guilty through due process.
