CAMDEN, N.J.,— A foreign national admitted in federal court today to assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer while in custody, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Vasil Petrov, 40, of Bulgaria, pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting a federal officer and inflicting bodily injury. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Karen Williams in Camden.
According to court documents, Petrov was in lawful custody at an ICE facility in Elizabeth, N.J., on Dec. 27, 2023, awaiting removal from the United States. While being processed, Petrov struck a deportation officer in the chin with a closed fist, causing a laceration that required liquid stitches.
Petrov faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 27, 2025.
The case was investigated by special agents from Homeland Security Investigations Newark, led by Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chana Y. Zuckier is handling the prosecution.