Honduran National Charged with Assaulting ICE Officers with Hammer in New Jersey

A 27-year-old Honduran national allegedly swung a hammer at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during a traffic stop in Gibbsboro, New Jersey, on Oct. 4, according to federal prosecutors. Reinieri De Jesus Licona Amador, who authorities say was unlawfully present in the United States, faces charges of assaulting federal officers.

According to the criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, the incident began when ICE officers conducted a targeted operation and ran a license plate check on a truck. Immigration records indicated that the vehicle's registered owner, Licona Amador, lacked lawful status in the U.S.

Officers initiated a traffic stop, and as they approached the truck, they observed Licona Amador reach for a hammer in the back seat. Despite commands to stop, he allegedly refused to comply. Prosecutors stated that Licona Amador then climbed onto the passenger-side door of the truck and repeatedly swung the hammer at the officers, ignoring their orders.

In response, officers deployed pepper spray and took Licona Amador to the ground, where he was arrested without sustaining injuries. He was subsequently charged and appeared in Camden federal court.

U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer emphasized the danger posed by such actions, stating, "Federal officers put themselves in harm’s way to enforce the law and protect the public. When an individual responds to a traffic stop by attacking an officer with a hammer, that conduct threatens not only the officer’s safety but the rule of law itself. We will not allow violent attacks on federal officers to go unanswered and will hold those responsible accountable under the law."

If convicted of assaulting federal officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon, Licona Amador faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.