Former Nicaraguan Police Officer Charged with Assaulting Federal Agent During Immigration Arrest in Albany
Authorities stated that it took multiple officers and the use of a taser to subdue Garcia Rojas. During processing, he reportedly told authorities he had been a police officer in Nicaragua.
A Nicaraguan man has been charged with assaulting a federal law enforcement officer during an attempted arrest in Rotterdam, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
Michel Manuel Garcia Rojas, 38, a citizen of Nicaragua, faces charges of resisting, impeding, and assaulting a federal officer while inflicting bodily harm. Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo Field Office, announced the charges on Thursday.
According to court documents, Garcia Rojas entered the United States in 2023 and has been in removal proceedings since that time. On March 5, the Rotterdam Police Department notified HSI that Garcia Rojas and another individual had been charged with state misdemeanor offenses, including petit larceny and endangering the welfare of a child. Under the recently enacted Laken Riley Act, the federal agency sought immediate detention of both individuals and obtained administrative warrants for their arrest.
HSI agents arrived at the Rotterdam Police Department to take Garcia Rojas into custody. According to the complaint, he was initially handcuffed and placed inside a federal law enforcement vehicle but managed to free one hand from the restraints, exit the vehicle, and attempt to leave the area. A federal agent confronted him, at which point Garcia Rojas allegedly resisted arrest, striking the agent and causing injuries, including bruises and abrasions.
Authorities stated that it took multiple officers and the use of a taser to subdue Garcia Rojas. During processing, he reportedly told authorities he had been a police officer in Nicaragua, where he had trained others in defensive tactics.
Garcia Rojas appeared in federal court in Albany before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, who ordered him detained pending a hearing scheduled for March 10.
If convicted, Garcia Rojas faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. His sentence will ultimately be determined by a judge based on federal sentencing guidelines and other factors.
The case is being investigated by HSI with assistance from the Rotterdam Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case.