PROVIDENCE – A Venezuelan immigrant pleaded guilty on Monday to resisting arrest after prosecutors alleged he assaulted three US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers when he was taken into custody in Providence in February.
Edward Antonio Reyes Calderon, 22, admitted in US District Court he “violently resisted” being arrested by three uniformed deportation officers outside of Providence District Court on Feb. 13, the Rhode Island US Attorney’s Office said.
Reyes Calderon had just appeared in the court on a domestic violence charge that day and was released on bail before officers apprehended him, prosecutors said.
“The deportation officers clearly announced that they were ‘police,’ and instructed Reyes Calderon to turn around,” officials said last month. “As they grabbed his arms, he began to flex and pull away, not complying with orders. The officers gave several verbal commands including: ‘stop resisting,’ and ‘you are under arrest.’”
Information presented to the court alleged Reyes Calderon “became aggressive and resisted as the three officers struggled to apply hand cuffs,” according to prosecutors.
“He continued to push and pull the deportation officers,” officials said.
According to prosecutors, at one point, Reyes Calderon allegedly grabbed one officer’s utility belt, his hand only inches from the officer’s firearm.
“As the struggle continued for several minutes, an officer deployed pepper spray to gain control of the defendant,” officials said.
Two of the three officers suffered minor injuries, prosecutors said.
Reyes Calderon pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of resisting arrest of a federal officer. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22.
An attorney representing Reyes Calderon did not immediately return a request for comment on Tuesday. Filings show Reyes Calderon told the court he intended to plea guilty and requested a change of plea hearing on March 17.
Prosecutors have previously said Reyes Calderon also faces a grand larceny charge in New York.
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