TUCSON, ARIZ. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Arizona), published as received.
TUCSON, Ariz. – Joe Martin Cruz, Jr., 20, of San Pedro, CA, was sentenced on June 23, by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 60 months in prison. Cruz previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Assault on a Federal Officer and one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit.
On January 14, 2025, Cruz transported four illegal aliens near Arivaca, AZ. When Border Patrol began following Cruz, he stopped his vehicle and the aliens bailed out. Cruz then sped off at a high rate of speed. During his flight from law enforcement, Cruz intentionally crashed his vehicle into a Border Patrol vehicle occupied by two agents who were traveling in the opposing lane of travel.
Vehicle crash data and scene evidence showed that at the time of the collision, Cruz had the accelerator pedal pushed to 100%. Immediately before the collision, he turned his wheel to the left, crossing the lane divider and colliding with the victim agents’ vehicle. Despite the agents’ efforts to avoid the collision, their vehicle was violently struck by Cruz. The force caused the rear axle to be sheared off and spun the agents’ vehicle off the road and into the brush. The agents sustained several injuries during the collision. Cruz then fled on foot through the desert but was eventually caught by law enforcement.
Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol and Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Amlee, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-00980-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-118_Cruz
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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