Guatemalan Citizen Sentenced for Assault of Federal Law Enforcement Officer

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A citizen of Guatemala illegally residing in the United States pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal law enforcement officer and was sentenced to time served on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Juan Jose Antuche-Garcia, 33, on September 15, 2025.

According to information presented to the Court, Antuche-Garcia, a native and citizen of Guatemala, illegally entered the United States on September 3, 2023. After he was released on bond by immigration authorities but failed to appear before the immigration court in May of 2024 as directed, an immigration judge ordered him to be removed from the United States.

On August 12, 2025, Antuche-Garcia was encountered by immigration authorities in the Robinson Township, Pennsylvania, area after federal law enforcement officers attempted to pull over a vehicle in which the defendant was a passenger. Federal law enforcement officers initiated a traffic stop by activating the emergency lighting and sirens on five unmarked vehicles. The driver of the vehicle failed to come to a complete stop and, instead, rammed his vehicle into one of the federal law enforcement officer's vehicles, pinning an officer's leg between his own vehicle's door frame and door. The driver of the vehicle and a rear seat passenger fled from the scene, evading apprehension. Antuche-Garcia, who was the front passenger of the vehicle, also attempted to flee by repeatedly and forcefully opening his door into the door of the vehicle behind which the officer's leg was pinned, causing additional injury to the officer. Antuche-Garcia has been in custody since his arrest and will remain in custody pending his removal from the United States.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Antuche-Garcia.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.