A Honduran national, Jose Walter Nieto-Castellanos, has been indicted for assaulting a federal officer, according to an announcement by Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The indictment was issued on October 31, 2025.
Court documents state that on October 14, 2025, Nieto-Castellanos allegedly assaulted a United States Border Patrol Agent. He is accused of striking the back of a law enforcement vehicle with his white Toyota Tundra while the agent was performing official duties.
Nieto-Castellanos faces up to twenty years in prison if convicted. He could also be subject to three years of supervised release, a fine as high as $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson emphasized: "An indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt."
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, which is described as "a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime." The operation combines efforts from Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Simpson commended United States Customs and Border Protection for its role in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters, Jr., from the General Crimes Unit, is handling the prosecution.
