A man has been sentenced to a year behind bars for assaulting a federal officer, a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed. Manuel Duarte-Ibarra, a 32-year-old Mexican national, was grappling with a United States Border Patrol agent when the scuffle escalated to physical violence.
The incident occurred on February 21 near Newfield, where Duarte-Ibarra, while being placed into custody, resisted and kicked the agent multiple times, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona. Following his arrest, Duarte-Ibarra admitted not only to the altercation but also to his intention to illegally transport undocumented noncitizens and his methamphetamine use at the time.
On Tuesday, Duarte-Ibarra faced judgment in front of United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez, where he was handed a 12-month prison sentence to be followed by three years of supervised release, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona. His guilty plea came on July 3, to a single count of Assault on a Federal Officer.
