U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service, Victoria Police Department, and Victoria County Sheriff’s Office, arrested a previously deported Guatemalan national on March 10 in Victoria, Texas. The individual is wanted for vehicular homicide in North Texas.
Joel Sac-Tambriz, aged 24, was apprehended under an outstanding arrest warrant from Tarrant County, Texas. He is accused of hitting a 30-year-old man with his vehicle and fleeing the scene on June 9, 2024. Additionally, Sac-Tambriz faces charges of assaulting an officer and evading arrest after allegedly resisting law enforcement during his capture.
Three other individuals were also detained during the operation. Gustavo Francisco Sohom Sac, 19, Pascual Alexander Guachiac Tzep, 18—both undocumented aliens from Guatemala—and Runfa Jiang, a 29-year-old undocumented alien from China—were arrested for allegedly evading arrest and assaulting an officer. Jiang faces an additional charge of hindering the apprehension of a known felon for allegedly aiding Sohom Sac in avoiding authorities.
All four individuals were taken into custody by the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Victoria County Jail. ICE has lodged immigration detainers against them at the jail.
Chad Plantz, ICE Homeland Security Investigations Houston Special Agent in Charge, commented on the arrests: “This is another example of the extraordinary work being done across the country by the brave men and women in law enforcement to locate and apprehend dangerous criminal aliens, transnational gang members, and foreign fugitives who are in this country illegally and endangering the lives of law-abiding residents.” He further emphasized that despite misinformation about their work, law enforcement officials continue to protect communities and ensure justice for victims' families.
Sac-Tambriz first entered the U.S. illegally on October 13, 2018. He was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol shortly thereafter and removed to Guatemala on October 25, 2018. His re-entry into the U.S., at an unknown date and location until his recent encounter with immigration officials on March 10.
For more information about ICE's efforts to combat transnational crime in Southeast Texas follow @HSIHouston on X.
