A 33-year-old man from El Salvador, Walter Leonel Perez Rodriguez, has appeared in federal court on charges of assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Nicholas J. Ganjei, announced that Rodriguez will remain in custody while criminal proceedings continue.
“ICE officers place their lives on the line every day to protect our country, and they deserve to be protected in return. Anyone who chooses violence over lawfulness will be met with swift charges in the Southern District of Texas,” said Ganjei. “The Department of Justice, and this office, stand firmly with law enforcement.”
According to a criminal complaint, the incident took place after authorities conducted a traffic stop on November 4 involving a Chevrolet Tahoe. Rodriguez allegedly exited the vehicle and fled as law enforcement identified themselves.
The complaint states that Rodriguez threw a 32-ounce stainless steel mug filled with hot coffee at an ICE officer, hitting him in the face. As a result, the officer fell to the ground and lost consciousness.
The injured officer was transported to a hospital where he was treated for second-degree burns on his neck and arms as well as a laceration to his upper lip that required 18 stitches.
Authorities allege that Rodriguez had previously been removed from the United States in 2013 but returned at least two more times since then.
If found guilty of assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer resulting in bodily injury, Rodriguez could face up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The investigation is being conducted by both FBI and ICE – Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keri Fuller and Byron Black are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative aimed at countering illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime by coordinating resources from Department of Justice programs such as OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Officials emphasized that a criminal complaint is only an accusation; all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through legal proceedings.
