A 26-year-old Canadian woman, Grace Kirkness, has been arrested and charged with forcibly assaulting a federal officer at the Houston Contract Detention Facility. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Kirkness appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena H. Palermo following her arrest. According to a criminal complaint filed on March 2, Kirkness was being held at the facility while awaiting removal to Canada.
The complaint alleges that on January 21, Kirkness refused to comply with orders from contract detention officers. When authorities attempted to handcuff her, she allegedly punched, kicked, and bit an officer.
If convicted of the charges, Kirkness could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations is leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ganz is prosecuting the case.
“A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law,” stated officials.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas oversees prosecutions for federal crimes and civil cases involving the government as described on its official website. This office operates under the Department of Justice and serves under the Attorney General according to official information. With offices in several cities including Houston and more than 200 attorneys serving over nine million residents across 43 counties as detailed online, it has had notable leaders such as Alamdar Hamdani and Ryan Patrick listed in its history.
