A 21-year-old man from El Salvador has been sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for assaulting a Border Patrol agent, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Oscar Adilio Sanchez-Rivera pleaded guilty to the charges on March 4.
The sentencing was delivered by U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton, who noted that Sanchez-Rivera, not being a U.S. citizen, is expected to undergo removal proceedings after serving his sentence.
“The defendant here managed to turn a simple removal case into a multi-year federal sentence,” said Ganjei. “Let this case be an example to others who may wish harm on police or federal agents; assaulting law enforcement will not be tolerated.”
The incident occurred on November 1, 2024, during a traffic stop in Rio Grande City when Sanchez-Rivera informed authorities of his status as an alien. As a Border Patrol agent attempted to detain him, Sanchez-Rivera resisted arrest by punching the agent and fracturing the agent’s finger, which required surgery.
Sanchez-Rivera initially fled but was soon captured by authorities. He will remain in custody until he is transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by the Border Patrol and FBI, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuting the case.
