Enmanuel Fernandes-Calixto, a 20-year-old Brazilian national, has been charged with various offenses related to forcibly assaulting and resisting a federal officer. According to the United States Attorney David Metcalf, Fernandes-Calixto was arrested for these charges, which also include opposing, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with an officer during the performance of official duties.
Fernandes-Calixto, who is in the United States without legal status, was taken into custody by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer on April 2, 2025, for immigration violations. The criminal complaint against him alleges that during transport, Fernandes-Calixto attempted to escape by striking and pushing the officer while handcuffed, ultimately fleeing to a house in Northeast Philadelphia. He was later apprehended with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department SWAT team.
The complaint further states that Fernandes-Calixto violated his release conditions after being detained for immigration reasons in Philadelphia. His local charges, which remain unresolved, include strangulation, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, and other related offenses from alleged incidents in August 2024.
Despite an ICE detainer, Fernandes-Calixto was released from Philadelphia custody in March 2025. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations is investigating the case.
This case is part of "Operation Take Back America," a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at controlling illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
It is important to note that charges such as these are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
