El Salvadoran man pleads guilty to, sentenced for resisting a federal officer and damaging government property

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Manuel De Jesus Jandres Martinez, 33, of El Salvador, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to depredation of government property, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

On December 31, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents observed a vehicle registered to Jandres Martinez parked in a hotel parking lot on Millersport Highway in Amherst, NY. Law enforcement approached the vehicle and identified themselves as Border Patrol officers. As they approached, Jandres Martinez started his ignition and tried to escape from the parking lot. In his attempt to flee, he reversed and rammed his car into the Border Patrol vehicle, which was parked behind his car, causing more than $1,000 in damage to the Border Patrol vehicle. Jandres Martinez then actively resisted Border Patrol agents when he got out of his car, ran from the agents into the hotel, and locked himself in a hotel room.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D'Amato and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone.

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