Five individuals have been charged in federal court in Chicago with assaulting or forcibly resisting federal agents who were engaged in immigration enforcement operations in Broadview, Ill. over the weekend.
The defendants were among a crowd of people who descended in front of the entrance to a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Saturday evening, according to criminal complaints filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
Ray Colllins, 31, of Chicago, is charged with felony assault of a federal officer. Collins allegedly possessed a loaded handgun when he charged toward agents and struggled with them, causing an injury to one of the agents.
Jocelyne Robledo, 30, of Chicago, is charged with felony assault of a federal officer. Robledo allegedly possessed a loaded handgun when she pushed agents who were attempting to extend a safety perimeter around the facility.
Paul Ivery, 26, of Oak Park, Ill., is charged with felony assault of a federal officer. Ivery allegedly grabbed an agent's helmet and pulled the agent's head down. Ivery allegedly told agents, "I'll [expletive] kill you right now."
Dana Briggs, 70, of Rockford, Ill., is charged with felony assault of a federal officer. Briggs allegedly made physical contact with an agent’s arm while the agent attempted to extend the safety perimeter around the facility.
Hubert Mazur, 21, of Medinah, Ill., is charged with forcibly resisting, opposing, impeding, and interfering with a federal officer, a misdemeanor. Mazur allegedly grabbed an agent’s arm before he and the agent ended up on the ground. Mazur allegedly continued to resist arrest while struggling with the agent.
“Federal law enforcement officers risk their lives daily to enforce the laws of this nation and safeguard our communities,” said HSI SAC Scarpino. “Any acts of violence, obstruction, or resistance against these brave professionals will be met with forceful and unyielding action. This blatant lawlessness and baseless attacks on the integrity of ICE agents and officers are intolerable and must cease immediately.”
The charges allege that the defendants made criminal physical contact against federal agents who were working outside of the facility to ensure the safe passage of agents, detainees, and vehicles into and out of the building. Two of the defendants possessed loaded firearms while assaulting federal agents, according to the federal complaint.
“Under my leadership, the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will take swift action when law enforcement personnel are criminally assaulted or individuals cross the line from peaceful protests to criminal mischief, assaults on federal officers, obstruction of justice, or the destruction of federal property,” said Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “We are working hand-and-glove with our federal law enforcement partners across the various federal agencies to maintain peace, respect individual rights, and prosecute those who violate federal criminal laws, including through activity that endangers officer and public safety. We will not hesitate to hold accountable those who attack and undermine the rule of law, including by resorting to violence and criminal mischief to interfere, obstruct, or impede the important work of the federal government as it is conducted in the Northern District of Illinois.”
“The FBI is committed to bringing swift and decisive action against anyone who seeks to bring harm to federal law enforcement,” said FBI Acting SAC Rothaar. “Officers who are sworn to protect and serve our communities must be able to do their jobs free from intimidation. The FBI will continue to work with our prosecutorial and law enforcement partners to investigate those who compromise the safety of our public servants.”
U.S. Attorney Boutros announced the charges along with Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Lucas Rothaar, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Matthew J. Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago.
“While assisting our federal partners in securing the ICE Broadview facility on Saturday, ATF and Border Patrol agents were assaulted by violent and armed protestors, resulting in injury to an ATF agent,” said ATF SAC Amon. “ATF takes all assaults on law enforcement seriously and will continue to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure those responsible are held fully accountable for their actions.”