A Honduran national was sentenced June 12 to 364 days in federal custody after pleading guilty to one count of assault on a law enforcement officer in U.S. District Court in White Plains, New York.
Lester Cruz-Garcia, 21, was arrested July 6, 2017, by the Yonkers Police Department and charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, assault in the second degree, intent to cause physical injury with a weapon, and harassment in the second degree (physical contact). Fingerprint impressions were also taken at that time. Those fingerprints matched ICE records for an alien who had been previously been ordered removed from the U.S. The following day, Cruz-Garcia was arraigned in Yonkers City Court and released on his own recognizance.
On July, 23, 2017, ERO deportation officers in Yonkers, New York, targeted and arrested 31-year-old Cruz-Garcia pursuant to his outstanding warrant of removal. As he was being escorted to an ICE vehicle, Cruz-Garcia began to flail his arms, and kick his legs, before biting the arm of an ERO deportation officer.