Charges filed against men arrested after escaping ICE custody in Conroe
(Photos: Conroe Police Department)
HOUSTON - Two men who were arrested Monday after escaping ICE custody in Conroe will appear in court for the first time Wednesday.
The men are accused of strangling a Border Patrol agent in her vehicle before escaping, the US Attorney's Office says.
ICE escapees charged
What's new:
According to the DOJ's release, Juan Carmen Padron Mendez, 29, and Juan Carlos Padron Barron, 23, will first appear in court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
The men have been charged with assault, resisting or impeding a federal officer and face up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine as well as another one year and up to $100,000 if convicted of escape from custody of an officer of the United States, the USAO release says.
Conroe manhunt ends as authorities arrest 2 men who escaped ICE custody on Monday
Authorities are searching for two men who escaped the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Conroe.
What they're saying:
"The Southern District of Texas has zero tolerance for those who assault law enforcement," said Ganjei. "Let it be known: if you lay a hand on an officer, deputy, or federal agent, SDTX will do whatever it can to put you in federal prison for as long as the law will allow. You’ve been warned."
Border Patrol officer strangled
The backstory:
During the Monday manhunt, ICE officials said one of the men freed himself from his restraints and choked a female Border Patrol agent while being transported to the Montgomery Processing Center.
Tuesday's update goes further into the incident, saying the alleged strangling happened at a red light after the men slipped out of their flexicuffs.
The agent was able to immediately call for assistance, after which authorities apprehended both men.
The two men were arrested during a multi-agent operation targeting violent criminals near Spring, Texas. ICE says Padron Barron has illegally entered the U.S. at least three times and was previously expelled in Dec. 2022 and Jan. 2023. This was the first U.S. encounter for Padron Mendez.
The Source: Information in this update came from the US Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas.