A Sacramento man has been charged with damaging a federal law enforcement vehicle during a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operation earlier this month, federal prosecutors announced Monday.
According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, 31-year-old Jose Manuel Castillo Jr. is facing a federal charge of depredation of government property following the July 17 incident outside a Home Depot in the Sacramento area. The charge stems from an altercation during a CBP operation involving the transfer of arrested individuals into a transport van bound for immigration custody.
Court documents allege that Castillo approached the scene and ignored repeated commands to move away. As agents continued their operation, Castillo reportedly shouted obscenities at CBP personnel and approached a CBP SUV from the rear passenger side. Agents on the opposite side of the vehicle reported hearing a “pop” and a loud hissing sound. Shortly thereafter, they observed Castillo walking away from the vehicle and noticed that the rear passenger tire had been punctured and was completely flat.
Law enforcement officers pursued Castillo after ordering him to stop. Following a brief foot chase, he was apprehended. A search of his person revealed a folding pocketknife in his pants pocket, with a blade size consistent with the puncture found in the SUV’s tire.
Castillo was not taken into custody at the time of the filing and is expected to appear in court for an initial hearing at a date determined by the court.
The investigation is being handled by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
If convicted, Castillo faces a maximum sentence of one year in federal prison and a $100,000 fine. Actual sentencing would be determined by the court based on federal sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. As with all criminal cases, the charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Focus Keywords: Border Patrol vehicle, Sacramento County operation, Jose Manuel Castillo Jr., Customs and Border Protection, CBP Sacramento, federal vehicle damage, Homeland Security Investigations
