A violent criminal illegal alien from Mexico with an extensive record, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on Monday for brutally assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Kansas.
Two ICE officers attempted to arrest Barron-Esquivel on February 28 as part of a targeted enforcement operation. The suspect had been harassing his former spouse and possessed a lengthy criminal history, per a press release from Homeland Security.
Diego Barron-Esquivel attacked the ICE officer during a February arrest attempt in Wichita, Kansas, punching him repeatedly and strangling him with his own badge cord.
The officer nearly lost consciousness before breaking free from the cord. Barron-Esquivel fled but was later captured by local law enforcement.
“This barbaric criminal illegal alien, with a rap sheet a mile long, violently punched one our officers in the face and head and then began strangling the officer with his own badge cord,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Our officers are facing a 1150% increase in violence against them as they arrest the worst of the worst.”
Barron-Esquivel’s prior arrests included multiple counts of domestic battery, violations of protection orders, aggravated robbery, and felony theft. Additional charges ranged from criminal damage to property to drug paraphernalia possession.
McLaughlin emphasized the administration’s stance on protecting law enforcement. “He now faces 20 years in federal prison. Secretary Noem has been clear: if you lay a hand on law enforcement, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The 20-year sentence represents the maximum penalty allowed under the statute.
When or where Barron-Esquivel entered the United States is unknown.
