San Antonio woman charged with threatening to shoot federal agent

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 42-year-old Texas woman has been taken into custody for threatening an Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) agent in the performance of his duties, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The criminal complaint has now been unsealed as Michelle Lee Varela made her initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge in San Antonio. She is expected to be in Corpus Christi federal court in the near future. 

The charges allege that on June 4, Verela influenced, impeded or retaliated against a federal officer by threat and used interstate communications to transmit a threat to injure another. Specifically, Verela allegedly made threats via cell phone to an agent with ICE-HSI.

According to the complaint, authorities were conducting a lawful immigration action and had requested information from Varela regarding her husband’s status in the United States. She allegedly used profanity and said if her husband was taken into custody, she would shoot them. The charges allege law enforcement advised her to consider her remarks as she had just threatened a federal agent, but she continued in an elevated voice and a threatening tone. She eventually hung up the phone, according to the complaint.  

If convicted, she faces up to 10 and five years in federal prison for the threat and interstate communications allegations, respectively. Both charges also carry a possible $250,000 fine, upon conviction.

“The Southern District of Texas takes allegations of threatened violence against law enforcement very seriously,” said Ganjei. “Immigration authorities must be able to carry out their lawful duties free from violence or threats, and those that attempt to obstruct or harm such agents will be held accountable.”

ICE-HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Goliad County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth is prosecuting the case. 

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.