Mexican nationals charged with resisting deportation officers in Georgia, officials say
COMMERCE, Ga. - Two Mexican nationals have been charged this week with assaulting or resisting federal deportation officers in two incidents around Georgia.
Officials say the arrests are part of a nationwide initiative from the Department of Justice known as Operation Take Back America.
What we know:
Officials say on May 20, a deportation officer stopped a vehicle on a highway in Commerce, Georgia to execute a warrant. Their drive, identified as Ricardo Trejo-Martinez, reportedly refused to comply with the officer's requests for identifying documentation.
When Trejo-Martinez got out of his vehicle, officials say he shoved the officer onto the highway.
A little more than a month later, two officers were sent to Roswell, Georgia to find Hector Beltran-Ledesma, a man who officials say had been removed from the country at least once time before.
According to authorities, Beltran-Ledesma tried to flee when officers found him leaving his home and then resisted arrest when given commands to stop.
Beltran-Ledesma is also facing a charge of illegally re-entering the United States after prior deportation.
What they're saying:
"Interference with law enforcement and attacks on officers are unjustifiable," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Abiding by a policy of zero tolerance, our Office will vigorously and expeditiously hold accountable anyone who endangers or violently obstructs federal law enforcement officers."
"Violence and physical resistance against our men and women of law enforcement who place themselves at risk to enhance public safety will never be tolerated," said Steven N. Schrank, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. "Our agents are committed to holding those who choose violence accountable, and thanks to their diligent efforts, Ricardo Trejo-Martinez and Hector Beltran-Ledesma, both illegal aliens, are now facing serious charges for their actions."
What's next:
Both men will appear in court at a later date over the charges.
The Source: Information for this story came from a release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.