PHOENIX — On June 10, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a three-count indictment against Jose Sarinana, 42, and Abran Villa, Jr., 40, both of Chandler, for assaulting, resisting, and impeding federal officers.

The indictment alleges that on June 1 of this year, FBI agents were assisting ICE/Enforcement and Removal Operations with immigration operations, according to a news release.

As part of those operations, FBI and ICE/ERO pulled over Villa’s vehicle and arrested the passenger, who officials allege was illegally present in the U.S.

The release states that after the passenger was arrested, Villa returned to the passenger’s residence and told Sarinana, at which point both men got into their vehicles and allegedly returned to the scene of the arrest.

As one of the FBI agents involved in the immigration enforcement action was leaving the scene, Sarinana followed the agent and made several attempts to run the agent off the road with his vehicle, the release states.

The agent called for backup and multiple FBI agents responded to the scene to stop Sarinana.

While agents were pursuing Sarinana, Villa used his truck to block one of their cars, revving his engine as he obstructed the agent’s exit from a parking lot.

The agent called for assistance; Villa eventually left.

After agents successfully pulled Sarinana over and detained him, Villa appeared again, driving up to the group at a high rate of speed in his truck.

Villa stopped shortly before reaching the agents, but pointed the truck directly at them and revved his engine.

Villa eventually complied with commands from the FBI agents after several of them unholstered their firearms, and he was taken into custody without further incident.

A conviction for assaulting, resisting, and impeding federal officers carries a maximum penalty of as many as 20 years in prison, up to five years supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

This case was part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that enables the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the “invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime,” the release states.

Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The FBI is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Addison Owen, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

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