El Salvador Man Sentenced to Prison for Assault of Border Patrol Agent

     TUCSON, Ariz. –Wilmer Noe Velasquez-Mejia, 35, from El Salvador, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to serve 13 months in prison for assault of a federal officer.  Velasquez-Mejia had previously pleaded guilty to this offense.

     On Aug. 26, 2015, while illegally in the United States after having been deported on previous occasions, Velasquez-Mejia was attempting to break into occupied vehicles stopped at an intersection near Three Points, Ariz.  The victim, a United States Border Patrol agent, responded to the intersection to assist.  Upon seeing the Border Patrol agent, Velasquez-Mejia ran away and ignored his instructions to stop.  The victim pursued Velasquez-Mejia, who repeatedly resisted and struggled with the victim and continued to run from him.  At one point during the struggle Velasquez-Mejia charged at the victim and gestured as if he had a firearm concealed under his clothing, repeatedly challenging the victim to kill him.  Velasquez-Mejia then jumped into a nearby car through an open window.  The driver was able to force Velasquez-Mejia out of the car, at which point the victim was finally able to arrest Velasquez-Mejia.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the United States Border Patrol.  The prosecution was handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-15-1712-TUC-JAS   

RELEASE NUMBER:   2016-021_Velasquez-Mejia

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