DETROIT — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Michigan, Eastern), published as received.
DETROIT – An illegal alien from Venezuela was charged in a criminal complaint with assaulting a federal law enforcement officer and grabbing and possessing the officer’s firearm – all of which occurred while the illegal alien was resisting arrest, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Detroit and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Detroit acting Field Office Director Kevin Raycraft.
Charged was Arnoldo Jose Marquez-Pulido, 33, an illegal alien from Venezuela who appeared at the US-Mexico border crossing in San Ysidro, California in April, 2024. Despite having no visa or other travel document that would allow him to lawfully enter the United States, Marquez-Pulido was paroled into the United States. Marquez-Pulido will be appearing in federal court in Detroit this afternoon for his initial appearance. The government will be seeking to hold Marquez-Pulido in custody during the pendency of his case.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers assigned to the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), acting on information they received that illegal aliens were working as delivery drivers at a business in Utica, Michigan, began conducting surveillance in the area. Agents observed a car registered to Marquez-Pulido, who agents determined was in the United States illegally, depart the parking lot of the business and began following him. Agents activated their vehicle emergency equipment and attempted a traffic stop. Marquez-Pulido briefly stopped then fled in his car at a high rate of speed. To avoid a dangerous vehicle chase, agents deactivated their emergency equipment and continued to follow Marquez-Pulido. Marquez-Pulido returned to the business location where he fled on foot. After Marquez-Pulido ignored a Task Force agent’s commands to stop, the agent tackled Marquez-Pulido as he tried to flee into the business. Marquez-Pulido forcibly resisted arrest, assaulting the task force agent by striking the agent in the face with his elbow. Marquez-Pulido then reached for the agent’s service firearm, a Glock Model 19 pistol. Marquez-Pulido was able to remove the firearm from the agent’s holster and briefly wield it before he lost control of the gun when the agent flipped him over. Additional Task Force officers and agents arrived on scene and recovered and secured the firearm from the ground where it landed after it slipped from Marquez-Pulido’s possession. Marquez-Pulido continued to forcibly resist and had to be restrained.
During the commission of this offense, Marquez-Pulida caused the agent to suffer a contusion to his elbow, abrasions on his knees and hands, and a contusion to his right cheek. Another agent suffered a contusion to his knee. Both agents were treated at the hospital and released.
“Some say that enforcing our nation’s immigration laws is unfair because illegal aliens are all harmless. Today’s allegations break that narrative. High speed flight from arrest, fighting federal agents, and grabbing an agent’s gun are not ‘harmless.’ And what’s ‘unfair’ is the fact that Americans pay the price for dangerous illegal aliens,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“Homeland Security Investigations remains committed to holding accountable those who threaten law enforcement and public safety,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “Attacks like this endanger not only our agents, but everyone in the vicinity. HSI Detroit will continue to respond decisively whenever our agents and partners are confronted with violence.”
“Every day ICE Detroit officers work closely with our federal partners to safeguard our communities and uphold the integrity of our nation’s immigration system,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Detroit acting Field Office Director Kevin Raycraft. “At a time when ICE officers are facing a 1,300 percent increase in assaults, ERO Detroit will relentlessly target illegal aliens who resort to violence against our officers and work to ensure they are removed from our communities
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent. As a felony trial cannot be held on a complaint, a decision to seek an indictment will be made in the near future.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
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.
