A woman from South Texas has been arrested for allegedly threatening a federal agent. The incident is under investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations in San Antonio, with support from the Goliad County Sheriff's Office.
Michelle Lee Varela, aged 42 and residing in San Antonio, faces charges detailed in a criminal complaint that was unsealed as she appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge in San Antonio. Her next court appearance is expected to be in Corpus Christi federal court.
The allegations state that on June 4, Varela used interstate communications to threaten an ICE agent's safety during an official immigration action. Court documents reveal that authorities had sought information from Varela about her husband's immigration status. During this exchange, she allegedly threatened violence if her husband were detained.
Varela reportedly continued to make threats despite being warned by law enforcement about the severity of her statements. If found guilty, she could face up to ten years for the threat and five years for using interstate communications to transmit it, along with fines totaling $250,000.
Nicholas J. Ganjei, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, emphasized the seriousness of such threats: "The Southern District of Texas takes allegations of threatened violence against law enforcement very seriously," he stated. He added that immigration authorities must perform their duties without fear of violence or obstruction.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth is handling the prosecution of this case.
It is important to note that a criminal complaint represents an accusation and not proof of guilt; defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise through due legal process.
