Santos Alvarenga-Rodriguez, a 47-year-old El Salvadorian national, was charged on March 11 with assaulting federal law enforcement officers during a traffic stop in Howard County, Maryland. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced that Alvarenga-Rodriguez made his initial appearance in federal court following the incident.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address crimes involving individuals who may not be legally present in the United States. According to the criminal complaint, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) officers stopped Alvarenga-Rodriguez after identifying a restriction code on his Maryland driver’s license indicating possible unlawful presence.
During the January 18 encounter, law enforcement instructed Alvarenga-Rodriguez to exit his vehicle. He refused and attempted to drive away, prompting officers to intervene. During the struggle, Alvarenga-Rodriguez allegedly bit one officer on the forearm and caused a laceration to another officer’s nose.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, described as a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing illegal immigration and targeting transnational criminal organizations.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in this investigation and thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Mills for prosecuting the case. Additional information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and its community resources can be found at justice.gov/usao-md.
