Roberto Jaciel Vazquez-Sanchez, Assault on a Federal Officer, New Mexico 2025

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – Roberto Jaciel Vazquez-Sanchez, 34, has been charged with assaulting a federal officer, announced the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.

According to court documents, on May 2, 2025, two plainclothes Border Patrol agents near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, attempted to stop a suspicious Jeep Liberty believed to be involved in human smuggling. After stopping the vehicle, the agents questioned the driver, Roberto Jaciel Vazquez-Sanchez, and asked to see his phone, where they observed evidence suggesting involvement in smuggling activity. When confronted, Roberto Jaciel Vazquez-Sanchez attempted to lock his phone and physically resisted the agents, pushing, kicking, and striking one agent in the face during the struggle.

The agents subdued Roberto Jaciel Vazquez-Sanchez, placed him in handcuffs, and transported him to the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station. This incident highlights the risks that law enforcement officers face on a daily basis while protecting our nation’s borders.

Over the past year, 40 El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agents have been assaulted, following 103 assaults in Fiscal Year 2024. The U.S. Border Patrol is collaborating closely with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure that those who assault federal officers are brought to justice. This interagency cooperation is crucial in protecting the men and women who serve on the frontlines of our nation’s border security efforts and in deterring future attacks on law enforcement personnel.

Roberto Jaciel Vazquez-Sanchez is charged with one count of assault on a federal officer, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is committed to protecting law enforcement officers and keeping our communities safe from violent crime.

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