Arizona Residents Charged in Felony Indictments with Assaulting FBI Agents During Immigration Operation

PHOENIX Ariz. – On June 10, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a three-count indictment against Jose Sarinana, 42, and Abran Villa, Jr., 40, both of Chandler, Arizona for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding Federal Officers. 

The indictment alleges that on June 1, 2025, FBI agents were assisting ICE/ERO with immigration enforcement operations. As part of those operations, FBI and ICE/ERO pulled over Villa’s vehicle and arrested the passenger, who was illegally present in the United States. After the passenger was arrested, Villa returned to the passenger’s residence and told Sariana, at which point both men got into their vehicles and returned to the scene of the arrest.

As one of the FBI agents involved in the immigration enforcement action was leaving the scene, Sarinana followed the agent and made several attempts to run the agent off the road with his vehicle. The agent called for backup and multiple FBI agents responded to the scene to stop Sarinana.

While agents were pursuing Sarinana, Villa used his truck to block one of their cars, revving his engine as he obstructed the agent’s exit from a parking lot. Villa eventually left after the agent called for assistance.

After agents successfully pulled Sarinana over and detained him, Villa appeared again, driving up to the group at a high rate of speed in his truck. Villa stopped shortly before reaching the agents, but pointed the truck directly at them and revved his engine. Villa eventually complied with commands from the FBI agents after several of them unholstered their firearms, and he was taken into custody without further incident.

A conviction for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding Federal Officers carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The FBI is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Addison Owen, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-25-00865-PHX-DWL-JZB
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-092_Sarinana, et al.

# # #

For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.