SAN ANTONIO – A federal judge sentenced a Cuban man this week after he rammed into multiple government vehicles in the parking lot of a North Side Walmart.
Robyn Argote-Brooks, 26, received 10 months in federal prison Tuesday for damaging an SUV and a sedan that belonged to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to a news release from the Department of Justice.
In May, Argote-Brooks was found guilty on two counts of destroying government property by a U.S. District Court Judge. Interestingly, he faced a more serious charge for forcibly assaulting a federal officer, which could have led to a 20-year sentence, but he was acquitted of that charge.
The incident occurred in January when Argote-Brooks was parked at a Walmart in the 12600 block of Blanco Road. He was approached by several vehicles occupied by ICE agents. This confrontation was captured on video and showed officers confronting him while he was in the driver’s seat.
Federal authorities had attempted to contact Argote-Brooks after discovering that his parole status had been terminated. This status had previously allowed him to remain in the United States.
During his trial, Argote-Brooks testified through a translator, explaining that he was waiting for a delivery order while watching videos on his phone when he was approached by several men. He stated, “I told him, ‘I don’t speak English, and that I didn’t understand.’”
Argote-Brooks expressed his fear upon seeing men in masks approaching his vehicle. “I was scared because I see somebody who is coming with a face mask covering his face and asking for my keys. They haven’t identified themselves or told me what I did wrong,” he said.
According to his arrest affidavit, Argote-Brooks turned on the vehicle’s ignition, reversed, and then pulled forward into the ICE vehicle. He maintained that he never intended to hurt anyone.
In addition to his prison sentence, Argote-Brooks was also ordered to pay $9,767 in restitution and a $200 special assessment fee, as stated in the news release.
