HSI investigation results in arrest of West Texas woman charged with assault of federal law enforcement officer

EL PASO, Texas – A West Texas woman was arrested this week at the Paso Del Norte port of entry on criminal charges related to her alleged assault on a federal law enforcement officer following an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to court documents, Shailene Ashanty Gutierrez, 19, of El Paso, entered the U.S. from the Republic of Mexico at the Paso Del Norte port of entry. Gutierrez was a passenger in a vehicle where a small quantity of marijuana and empty rifle magazines were located. The vehicle was sent to secondary inspection and Gutierrez was detained pending further investigation. While detained, Gutierrez became aggressive and kicked and caused injury to two U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers.

Gutierrez is charged by federal criminal complaint with one count of assault on a federal law enforcement officer. If convicted, Gutierrez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Gutierrez is scheduled for a detention hearing today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Miguel Torres.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stanley M. Serwatka, Western District of Texas, is prosecuting the case. For additional information about HSI’s investigative efforts, follow @HSIElPaso.

HSI is a directorate of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of over 10,400 employees consists of more than 6,800 Special Agents assigned to 225 cities throughout the United States, and 86 overseas locations in 55 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.