A Mexican national with a record of child sex abuse and violent crime remains on the run after allegedly attempting to ram federal immigration agents during a targeted enforcement operation near Colorado Springs, Colo., last week.
According to a report from KMGH-TV, Jose Mendez-Chavez was behind the wheel during a recent raid at a construction site in the Black Forest area when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents approached the vehicle. Instead of complying, Mendez-Chavez reportedly attempted to slam into the officers before fleeing the scene.
Authorities fired three shots as the suspects drove off. The passenger in the vehicle, identified as Francisco Zapata-Pacheco, was later apprehended and is currently in ICE custody awaiting deportation proceedings.
“Two criminal aliens attempted to ram their vehicle into ICE officers during a targeted enforcement operation in Colorado Springs,” an ICE spokesperson said in a statement to KMGH. “Mendez was not an ‘innocent victim.’ He is an abuser who plays the system and is now wanted for assault on a federal officer.”
Mendez-Chavez has a long criminal record across several states. He was arrested in Texas in January 2020 on reckless endangerment charges and sentenced to one year in prison. He had previously been convicted of domestic violence in Ohio in July 2013 and served 180 days in jail. ICE reports that he has been removed from the United States six times.
“He knows he’s not supposed to be here,” the spokesperson said.
ICE also condemned the Colorado Rapid Response Network, a local group known for interfering with federal operations and warning migrants of upcoming enforcement actions.
“It is despicable that Colorado Rapid Response Network would show up in defense of an alien who has abused children and attempted to injure our officers,” the spokesperson continued. “ICE officers are facing an 830 percent increase in assaults. Lies and violent rhetoric incite hostility against the brave men and women of ICE who put their lives on the line every day to protect American communities, as we witnessed in Colorado.”
As of August 5th, Mendez-Chavez remains at large.
