A Mexican national has been sentenced to 45 months in federal prison for the assault of a U.S. Border Patrol agent, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas. The incident, which dated back to December 14, 2021, led to the apprehension of Mario Alonso Torrijos-Perez alongside five others who were identified as illegal aliens.
During an attempt to escape as he was being taken to the Border Patrol station, Torrijos-Perez managed to disbalance an agent by elbowing him forcefully. According to a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, the agent sustained various injuries, including a contusion to his right shoulder and scratches across his hands and wrists, while instructing Torrijos-Perez in both Spanish and English to stop resisting.
Charges filed against Torrijos-Perez were part of a larger initiative titled Operation Take Back America. The initiative is described by the Department of Justice as a concerted effort to “repel the invasion of illegal immigration,” targeting the elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and ensuring the protection of communities from violent crimes.
The case against the convicted assaulter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner, while being investigated by the USBP. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement regarding the sentencing, placing emphasis on the nationwide scope of Operation Take Back America that streamlines resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
