A 29-year-old Conroe woman pleaded guilty in federal court to assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during a targeted enforcement operation in Houston. Prosecutors say she scratched an agent and swung a handcuffed arm before fleeing into a crowd. She faces up to eight years in prison.
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According to federal prosecutors, a 29-year-old Belizean resident of Conroe has entered a guilty plea to assaulting a federal officer during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Houston last October.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas, Sindi Vanessa Moreno-Flores acknowledged in federal court that she had assaulted an ICE agent during an enforcement action on September 23, 2025.
As authorities tried to arrest Moreno-Flores, prosecutors claimed she "pulled away and scratched an ICE agent's upper left arm and hands." Before agents could apprehend her and make the arrest, authorities claimed she "swung her arm" while in handcuffs and collided with a group of onlookers.
In addition to facing a potential $250,000 fine and up to eight years in prison, Moreno-Flores is still in federal custody. A U.S. district judge in Houston will set the sentencing date later.
The charge is in accordance with U.S. Code Section 111, Title 18, which criminalizes assaults on federal authorities. According to the statute, physical contact can result in fines of up to eight years. Using a weapon or causing bodily harm can result in a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Homeland Security Investigations was in charge of the inquiry. Prosecuting the case is Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin R. Martin.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also referenced the prosecution in a social media post that read, “Illegal alien admits to assaulting officer,” alongside the hashtag #OperationTakeBackAmerica and a link to its news release.
According to federal officials, the investigation is part of the Justice Department's "Operation Take Back America," which focuses on border and immigration enforcement. Under that approach, the Southern District of Texas handled almost 14,000 immigration and related matters in 2025, according to its annual review.
Court records do not indicate whether Moreno-Flores has prior criminal convictions. Her guilty plea ends the assault accusation, but the court will still consider federal sentencing guidelines before deciding on ultimate sanctions.
As the case moves forward in federal court in Houston, Moreno-Flores will remain in custody pending sentencing.
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