Laredo border agent accused of assaulting wife

McALLEN, Texas ( Border Report ) — A U.S. Border Patrol agent has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting his wife, Border Report has learned.

Alonzo Gutierrez, 35, has been charged with assault of a family member and impeding breath. “Basically strangulation,” Laredo police Public Information Officer Jose Espinoza told Border Report on Wednesday.

Gutierrez was assigned to the U.S. Border Patrol’s Laredo Sector and was arrested on Tuesday in Laredo, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said.

He posted a $50,000 bond on Wednesday and was released from jail, the Webb County Sheriff’s Office said.

Gutierrez’s wife called police and said her husband had assaulted her and “strangled” her, the Laredo Morning Times reported. Police told the newspaper that the woman had visible markings on her body after an altercation over cellphone messages.

CBP says the incident is under investigation by the Laredo Police Department and CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility.

“CBP stresses honor and integrity in every aspect of our mission, and the overwhelming majority of CBP employees and officers perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe. An arrest is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,” CBP officials said in a statement.

The charges are a third-degree felony, and if convicted, Gutierrez faces a prison term of two to 10 years.

Gutierrez is reportedly stationed in Hebronville, Texas, about 55 miles southeast of Laredo.

Border Report has asked CBP if Gutierrez has been suspended. This story will be updated if information is received.

Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BorderReport.