Two staff members at a San Bernardino County surgery center have been charged in a federal criminal complaint for allegedly assaulting and interfering with U.S. immigration officers. The Justice Department announced the charges, which involve an incident where the staffers are accused of preventing officers from detaining an illegal alien.
Jose de Jesus Ortega, 38, from Highland, was arrested and is set to appear in U.S. District Court in Riverside. Authorities are searching for Danielle Nadine Davila, 33, from Corona.
Ortega and Davila face charges of assaulting a federal officer and conspiracy to prevent by force and intimidation a federal officer from performing duties.
“This story is another example of a false narrative echoed in the media in furtherance of an agenda to delegitimize federal agents,” stated United States Attorney Bill Essayli. He added that the defendants attempted to block the apprehension by assaulting agents.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on July 8, two ICE officers were conducting immigration-related operations in Ontario when they followed a truck into a surgery center's parking lot. One man fled into the center after resisting arrest outside. Ortega and Davila allegedly interfered with the arrest inside the center.
If convicted, Ortega and Davila could face up to eight years in prison for assaulting a federal officer and six years for conspiracy.
The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Cory Burleson is prosecuting the case.
