Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Federal Agent Making Arrest Under Laken Riley Act

ALBANY, NEW YORK - Michel Manuel Garcia Rojas, age 39, a citizen of Nicaragua, pled guilty yesterday to an indictment charging him with resisting, impeding, and assaulting a federal officer engaged in official duties and inflicting bodily injury. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.

According to the plea and documents previously filed in the case, Garcia Rojas entered the United States illegally in 2023 and had been engaged in removal proceedings since that date while living freely in the United States. In March 2025, HSI learned that Garcia Rojas and another illegal alien had been charged with the New York State misdemeanor offenses of Petit Larceny and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Given the nature of the state charges, both aliens were subject to immediate detention under the then-newly enacted Laken Riley Act. HSI promptly went to effectuate the arrests before the subjects were released on the state charges.

Upon his arrest by federal authorities, Garcia Rojas was handcuffed and placed inside the backseat of a federal law enforcement vehicle. He then got out of the vehicle and attempted to walk away. An HSI Special Agent confronted Garcia Rojas and attempted to place him back under arrest. Garcia Rojas fought back, striking the agent in the face and throwing him into a door as the Special Agent wrestled to subdue Garcia Rojas. It ultimately took numerous law enforcement officers and the use of a taser to subdue and rearrest Garcia Rojas. Garcia Rojas inflicted numerous injuries on the agent, including numerous abrasions and bruises, including to the agent's jaw, and a back injury that kept the agent out of work for months.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone said: "Thanks to the Laken Riley Act, we have taken a violent illegal alien off the streets here in the Northern District of New York. Garcia Rojas' assault on a federal agent faithfully doing his job should be a stark reminder to everyone of the danger these criminals pose. I commend my prosecutors and HSI for their exceptional work in bringing swift justice to this defendant."

Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan stated: "The brazen and violent actions of Michel Manuel Garcia Rojas, a Nicaraguan national with a prior criminal history, represent a direct threat to the safety of our agents, officers and the communities we serve, and reflect the danger law enforcement face each day. Assaulting a federal agent in the line of duty is an egregious and unacceptable crime that will not be tolerated. This case underscores the critical importance of strong enforcement measures like the Laken Riley Act, which empower law enforcement to protect our nation from those who disregard our laws. HSI remains steadfast in pursuing justice for those who endanger our personnel, our partners, and the public alike."

Garcia Rojas is scheduled for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Mae A. D'Agostino on June 16, 2026. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release of up to three years, and deportation following any term of imprisonment. Garcia Rojas will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victim of his offense. A defendant's sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute(s) the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

HSI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case.

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