An early-morning immigration operation in Powell took a violent turn when federal authorities say a man punched an officer in the face, leaving him with a puncture wound near his chin and other lacerations. The officer later went to a hospital, and the man, identified as 40-year-old Kendry Jose Cubian-Perez, is now facing a federal charge.
According to charging documents filed in federal court, a Homeland Security Investigations task force had been watching a residence in the 4000 block of Greensview Drive in Powell just after 5:45 a.m. when they spotted a man who appeared to match their target. The man got into a car registered to that target, and task-force officers say he took off when they flipped on their emergency lights.
An officer from Enforcement and Removal Operations gave chase on foot and caught up with the suspect. Investigators say that is when Cubian-Perez allegedly struck the officer in the face and resisted arrest. After taking him into custody and searching him, officers concluded he was in the United States without inspection, according to WSYX.
Federal charge and possible penalties
The federal complaint accuses Cubian-Perez of "assaulting, resisting, or impeding" a federal officer while the officer was performing official duties and of inflicting bodily injury. Under 18 U.S.C. § 111, simple assaults can carry up to one year behind bars, but cases involving physical contact or bodily injury can trigger much stiffer penalties, and the statute allows sentences of up to 20 years when a deadly weapon is used or bodily injury is alleged, according to Cornell LII.
Immigration status and next steps
Court documents state that officers determined Cubian-Perez was in the country without inspection, a status that generally means someone entered without being formally admitted at a port of entry and that can lead to separate removal proceedings. The criminal case will move forward in federal court while immigration officials decide what, if any, civil actions to pursue. Those run on parallel but separate tracks, according to USCIS and related guidance.
The report noted that a booking photo was provided by the Franklin County Jail. The charging documents were filed last Friday, and the television report was published on Monday. WSYX did not list any bond amount or a next court date for Cubian-Perez in its coverage, per WSYX.
