MIAMI – A Colombian national has been charged with impersonating a high-ranking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official and allegedly using that false authority to threaten and attempt to extort an employee of a Miami Gardens food truck.
According to court records, Jonathan Christian Gonzalez Reyes, 45, residing in Miami, arrived at the food truck in a personal vehicle equipped with blue flashing lights and sounded an air horn resembling one used by law enforcement. Gonzalez Reyes allegedly identified himself to the victim as a high-ranking ICE official and claimed that, in exchange for money, he could assist the victim with immigration-related matters.
Gonzalez Reyes then allegedly threatened to plant drugs in the food truck so that the business would be shut down. He also allegedly unholstered and brandished a firearm and threatened to pistol-whip the victim’s son. Fearing for his life, the victim did not comply with Gonzalez Reyes’s demands. Gonzalez Reyes then allegedly left the scene while activating his vehicle’s police-style siren.
Gonzalez Reyes is charged with one count of false impersonation of an officer of the United States. If convicted, he faces up to three years in federal prison. Any sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge-East of ICE Office of Professional Responsibility and Field Office Director Matthew Elliston for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Miami made the announcement.
The ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, with the assistance of the ICE Enforcement and Removals Operations Criminal Prosecution Unit, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackson Dering is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-mj-03725.