Adbiel Martinez-Barrera, Assault on a Federal Officer, Arizona 2023

Adbiel Martinez-Barrera, a 21-year-old man from Mexico, has been charged with Assault on a Federal Officer after allegedly assaulting a Border Patrol agent in Arizona.

According to the government’s complaint, on May 5, 2023, Border Patrol agents responded to a remote location near Douglas, Arizona, where a surveillance camera had observed two suspected undocumented non-citizens.

An agent located two individuals, a female and Martinez-Barrera. As the agent was attempting to gain control of the female, Martinez-Barrera began vigorously pulling on the agent. Martinez-Barrera then climbed on the agent from behind, pinned the agent’s face to the ground, and placed his hand over the agent’s mouth, preventing the agent from being able to breathe.

Martinez-Barrera told the agent to stop and let them go. Each time Martinez-Barrera removed his hand momentarily, the agent would yell and Martinez-Barrera would cover her mouth again, impeding the agent’s breathing. When the agent stopped struggling, Martinez-Barrera and the female undocumented noncitizen fled on foot.

Border Patrol agents were later able to detain them and arrested Martinez-Barrera. Agents determined that he is a citizen of Mexico without proper immigration documents. He admitted to illegally crossing the international boundary without being inspected by an immigration officer at a designated port of entry.

A conviction for Assault on a Federal Officer carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER: 23-00355MJ-1

RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-072_Martinez-Barrera

Related Federal Cases