A Guatemalan national residing in Rhode Island was sentenced in federal court for resisting federal law enforcement officers during an attempted immigration arrest, according to an announcement from Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Cristian Aroldo Pineda Diaz, 31, received a sentence of time served from U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose. Pineda Diaz had pleaded guilty on November 10, 2025, to resisting a lawful arrest by federal officers.
Court documents state that on July 15, 2025, officers from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), along with other federal agents, located Pineda Diaz near College Street and Benefit Street in downtown Providence as they tried to execute an arrest warrant. Authorities reported that Pineda Diaz ignored verbal commands, tried to escape, collided with a federal agent, and resisted attempts to control his limbs by stiffening his body and hiding his arms underneath him.
Assistant United States Attorneys G. Michael Seaman and Julie M. White prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, a national initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling criminal organizations through coordinated efforts involving multiple task forces.
