A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Florida, Alexander Rivera Rios, 50, was arrested on charges of battery by strangulation. The incident stemmed from a driving-related dispute on August 26 outside an Orlando apartment complex. Rivera Rios was detained by the Orlando Police Department and held at the Orange County jail without bond.
Incident Details
The Orlando Police Department responded to the altercation, which occurred around 9 a.m. on Raleigh Street. Jailton Rodrigues reported to police that his wife was being aggressively yelled at by a man in the parking lot. Upon going downstairs, Rodrigues found Rivera Rios arguing with his wife.
According to Rodrigues, he attempted to de-escalate the situation by pushing Rivera Rios back with his shoulder. In response, Rivera Rios grabbed him by the neck, choking him until an apartment maintenance worker intervened. The worker recorded part of the incident on a cellphone, showing the initial argument and subsequent physical interaction.
Police Investigation
Orlando police Officer Mark Knott reviewed the video and interviewed both men. He observed visible injuries on Rodrigues’ neck and determined Rivera Rios to be the primary aggressor. Officer Knott’s body-worn camera captured the response, confirming Rodrigues’ account of events.
Rivera Rios provided a different version, stating that he acted in self-defense after being pushed. However, the video evidence and witness accounts led to his arrest. The case is now pending in Orange County Circuit Court.
Background and Current Status
Sources identified Rivera Rios as a deportation officer with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division. Joining the agency in 2007, he previously served in New York before moving to the Orlando area. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have yet to comment on Rivera Rios’ employment status following the arrest. The arrest affidavit did not specify his employer, omitting any reference to ICE.
Rivera Rios appeared in court for an initial hearing, yet details concerning his bail remain unlisted.
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