Armenian National Sentenced for Assaulting an Immigration Detention Officer

FRESNO, Calif. — Arsen Tonoyan, 48, an Armenian national formerly residing in Los Angeles, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution for assaulting a federal officer or employee that inflicted bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on March 7, 2022, Tonoyan assaulted a detention officer at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Golden State Annex detention center in Kern County. Tonoyan walked up to the detention officer and hit the officer multiple times. He punched the officer, put the officer into a chokehold, and took the officer down to the ground. The officer suffered bodily injuries as a result of the attack, including a concussion, back injuries, and other injuries requiring immediate medical attention.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple prosecuted the case.