Luis Peterson Rohr Ferreira Borges, a 25-year-old Brazilian citizen living illegally in the United States, was sentenced on Apr. 10 to nine months in prison for assaulting a federal officer, according to David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address violent incidents involving law enforcement and immigration violations. The sentencing took place before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford.
Court documents show that Ferreira Borges had an open case in Connecticut Superior Court from a September 16, 2023 arrest involving multiple charges including assault of public safety personnel and intimidation based on bigotry or bias. On October 10, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security issued an arrest warrant charging him with violating U.S. immigration laws.
Ferreira Borges was apprehended by federal officers on June 25, 2025 near Zion Street in Hartford after resisting arrest and acting aggressively during transport to a federal building. He kicked and screamed at Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers inside the vehicle, threatened one officer verbally while moving his leg close to their neck, attempted to bite another officer who tried to restrain him, and spat on the driver.
He pleaded guilty on January 22, 2026 to assaulting a federal officer and has been detained since his arrest. After serving his sentence he will face immigration proceedings.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s ERO division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and organized crime groups involved in violent offenses.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut serves all state residents through initiatives intended to enhance quality of life according to its official website. The office operates under the Department of Justice framework according to its official website with locations in New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport; it employs about 68 assistant attorneys as well as support staff according to its official website. Established in 1789 as one of America's oldest prosecutorial offices according to its official website, it prosecutes both criminal cases and manages civil matters for the government within Connecticut's jurisdiction.
