In a high-profile case highlighting the significant dangers faced by law enforcement officers, Guadalupe Fermin Ramirez, a 37-year-old resident of Tucson, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for assaulting a federal officer with a vehicle. United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker delivered the sentence last week, which includes an additional three years of supervised release following Ramirez’s incarceration. This ruling follows Ramirez’s guilty plea to the charge of Assault on a Federal Officer on May 9, 2024.
The incident began on November 30, 2023, when the Pascua Yaqui Police Department (PYPD) received an urgent 911 call reporting a vehicle theft. Ramirez had brazenly stolen the vehicle from a private residence, proceeding to drive it to a gas station on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation. At the gas station, Ramirez attempted to escalate his crime spree by stealing a second vehicle, specifically targeting a delivery truck. He also seized personal belongings from inside the truck before fleeing once more in the vehicle he initially stole.
During the ensuing police pursuit, Ramirez demonstrated a reckless disregard for public safety and law enforcement by deliberately ramming his vehicle into a police car at approximately 45 mph. The officer inside the police vehicle displayed remarkable presence of mind by quickly disengaging his seatbelt and moving towards the center console, which helped him avoid severe injury. Nonetheless, the police car sustained significant damage due to the impact. Unfazed, Ramirez sped away from the scene, ignoring multiple stop signs and causing a chaotic chain reaction that led to two additional vehicles colliding. His reckless behavior ultimately led to his capture and arrest shortly after the incident.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in collaboration with the Pascua Yaqui Police Department, spearheaded the investigation into this brazen attack. The prosecution team, led by Assistant United States Attorneys Carin C. Duryee and Brandon Bolling from the District of Arizona, Tucson, received valuable assistance from Special Assistant United States Attorney Russell E. Boatwright of the Pascua Yaqui Prosecutor’s Office.
The successful resolution of this case was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the FBI, the Pascua Yaqui Police Department, and a dedicated team of prosecutors. Together, they ensured that justice was served, reinforcing the legal system’s commitment to upholding the rule of law. Ramirez will now serve his sentence and the subsequent period of supervised release as mandated, illustrating the relentless pursuit of justice and the ongoing efforts to maintain public safety and order.
