PHOENIX — A 23-year-old man was sentenced Thursday to more than seven years in prison for violently attacking a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Arizona last year, officials said.
Mexico’s Ray David Marquez Jiménez, who pleaded guilty in October to attempted murder of a federal employee, was sentenced by a U.S. District Court judge in Tucson to 85 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. was declared
“Most noncitizens who enter the United States intend to enter peacefully and seek a better life for their families,” Arizona U.S. Attorney Gary Restino said in a press release.
“Warn the small number of illegal aliens who are ignoring law enforcement orders and engaging in aggressive behavior. We will defend the rights of our guards.”
Marquez Jimenez attacked a Border Patrol agent as he was about to handcuff another individual near Hereford in Cochise County on January 26, 2022.
Prosecutors said the suspect tackled the agent, took the gun out of its holster, pointed the gun at the agent, and attempted to stab him with a knife.
After the agents obtained the knife, Marquez Jiménez fled on foot and was taken into custody by other agents.
“This agent fought for his life while working to protect the American people and defend our borders,” said Akil Davis, a special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office, in a release. “The assaults on law enforcement officers continue, and this is just the few thousand he’s seen in 2022.
“The FBI is committed to ensuring that those who commit violent acts against law enforcement officers are brought to justice.”
