ATLANTA, GA – Two Mexican nationals are facing federal charges after allegedly turning violent during encounters with federal deportation officers in Georgia. Ricardo Trejo-Martinez and Hector Beltran-Ledesma are accused of assaulting and resisting officers tasked with their removal from the United States, according to a Department of Justice announcement this week. The incidents, occurring in Commerce and Roswell, Georgia, highlight the escalating risks faced by those enforcing immigration laws.
The first incident unfolded May 20, 2025, on a four-lane highway in Commerce. A deportation officer initiated a traffic stop intending to execute an administrative arrest warrant for an unnamed illegal alien. The driver, identified as Ricardo Trejo-Martinez, allegedly refused to provide identification and, in a brazen act of defiance, shoved the officer into oncoming traffic as vehicles sped past. The officer sustained injuries, the extent of which were not immediately disclosed.
Just over a month later, on June 21, 2025, officers targeted Hector Beltran-Ledesma, a previously deported individual, in Roswell, Georgia. According to authorities, Beltran-Ledesma attempted to flee upon spotting the officers. After being ordered to stop, he allegedly “forcibly resisted arrest,” engaging in a physical struggle with the deportation officers. The details of the struggle remain limited, but it’s clear he wasn’t going quietly.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg issued a stern warning: “Interference with law enforcement and attacks on officers are unjustifiable,” he stated. “Abiding by a policy of zero tolerance, our Office will vigorously and expeditiously hold accountable anyone who endangers or violently obstructs federal law enforcement officers.” Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that violence against law enforcement “will never be tolerated.”
Beltran-Ledesma faces an additional charge of illegally re-entering the United States after a prior deportation, compounding his legal troubles. Both cases are part of “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative aimed at bolstering efforts to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels, and address violent crime. The operation leverages resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is leading the investigation in both cases. While the complaints outline the charges, both Ricardo Trejo-Martinez and Hector Beltran-Ledesma are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Anyone with information related to these incidents is encouraged to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. Further details are available at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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