In Austin today, federal authorities filed a criminal complaint charging 23-year-old Mexican National Hugo Baltazar-Ramirez with assaulting a federal deportation officer last week announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
According to the complaint, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, who was acting within the scope of his duty and on information gleaned from an official immigration database, effected a traffic stop on the defendant’s vehicle along Highway 183 in Austin on February 10, 2017. The officer advised Baltazar-Ramirez that he was being placed under arrest and asked the defendant to exit the vehicle. Baltazar-Ramirez impeded his arrest by running from the officer. When the officer caught up to the defendant, Baltazar-Ramirez physically struggled with the officer, forcibly assaulting him. Baltazar-Ramirez inflicted bodily injury to the officer by hitting his head against the ground several times. A second officer, who arrived on the scene during the struggle, provided assistance with placing Baltazar-Ramirez in handcuffs. The injured officer was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment and subsequently released.
Baltazar-Ramirez remains in federal custody at this time. Upon conviction, Baltazar-Ramirez faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A preliminary and detention hearing in this matter is scheduled for 9:00am on February 28, 2017, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Lane.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.