2 Chandler men indicted on charges of assaulting FBI agents helping with immigration enforcement

PHOENIX — A federal grand jury in Phoenix on Tuesday formally accused two Chandler residents accused of assaulting FBI agents, authorities said.

Jose Sarinana, 42, and Abran Villa, Jr., 40, attacked the agents on June 1, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

They’re facing a three-count indictment of assaulting, resisting and impeding federal officers who were helping ICE and ERO with immigration enforcement, prosecutors said.

What led up to the Chandler duo assaulting FBI agents?

The incident took place on June 1 after Villa was allegedly found with an undocumented immigrant in his vehicle.

Officials with the FBI and ICE/ERO pulled over Villa’s vehicle and arrested the noncitizen.

Villa later returned to the residence of the undocumented immigrant to inform Sarinana, prosecutors said. The two men then drove in separate vehicles to the scene of the arrest.

Sarinana then focused on one of the FBI agents involved in the immigration enforcement, making several attempts to force the agent off the road as they tried to leave the scene, prosecutors said.

The targeted agent called for backup, after which more agents arrived at the scene to stop Sarinara.

Villa allegedly tried to block one of the arriving cars. He revved his engine and stopped the agent from leaving the lot, prosecutors said.

How were men who assaulted FBI agents arrested?

Agents eventually arrested Sarinana after pulling him over. But at that point, Villa sped up his car, driving toward the group before slowing down before reaching the agents, prosecutors said.

However, he again revved his engine while also pointing his truck directly at them, prosecutors said.

Eventually he complied with FBI agents’ demands after they unholstered their firearms.

These crimes come with a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to five years of supervised release.

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