August 28, 2025 - RIVERSIDE, California – A federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted two staff members at a surgery center in San Bernardino County, charging them with assaulting and interfering with United States immigration officers attempting to lawfully detain an illegal alien fleeing law enforcement last month.

Jose de Jesus Ortega, 38, of Highland, and Danielle Nadine Davila, 33, of Corona, are charged with one felony count of assaulting, resisting, and impeding a federal officer.

An October 6 trial date is scheduled in this case.

According to the superseding indictment and court documents previously filed in this case, on July 8, two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted roving immigration-related operations as part of their duties in Ontario. The officers wore government-issued equipment, including law enforcement vests, and were in an unmarked government-operated vehicle.

The officers were following a truck with three adult men when the truck made a quick turn into the parking lot of a surgery center in Ontario. Officers approached the men after the men had exited the truck, and two of the men ran away. One of the fleeing men – an illegal alien from Honduras – was partially detained near the surgery center’s front entrance before he resisted and pulled away, causing both him and the ICE officer to fall to the ground. Shortly afterward, a medical staffer helped the alien off the ground and helped pull him away from the officer. The alien proceeded inside the surgery center and was pursued by the ICE officer, who eventually stopped him.

Ortega and Davila, both dressed in medical scrubs, impeded and interfered with the arrest – Davila by wedging herself in between the officer and the alien, pushing the officer, and shouting, “Let him go!” and “Get out!”; Ortega by grabbing the officer’s arm and then his vest.

The officer called for assistance and another ICE officer arrived on scene and saw multiple staff members grabbing the first officer. The officers eventually detained and handcuffed the alien, then exited the surgery center with him.

An indictment contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison.

Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Cory L. Burleson of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.

Source" DOJ Release