El Paso Standard

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), along with the U.S. Marshals Service, the Victoria Police Department, and the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office, have arrested a previously deported fugitive alien in Victoria, Texas. The arrest took place on March 10.

Joel Sac-Tambriz, a 24-year-old Guatemalan national who had been deported before, was apprehended due to an outstanding arrest warrant from Tarrant County, Texas. He is wanted for vehicular homicide after allegedly hitting a 30-year-old man with his vehicle and fleeing the scene on June 9, 2024. Sac-Tambriz also faces charges of assaulting an officer and evading arrest after allegedly resisting law enforcement during his capture.

In addition to Sac-Tambriz, three other individuals were arrested: Gustavo Francisco Sohom Sac, 19; Pascual Alexander Guachiac Tzep, 18; both undocumented aliens from Guatemala; and Runfa Jiang, a 29-year-old undocumented alien from China. They are charged with evading arrest and assaulting an officer. Jiang faces an additional charge of hindering apprehension for allegedly assisting Sohom Sac in evading authorities.

All four individuals were taken into custody by the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Victoria County Jail. ICE has lodged immigration detainers on all four.

Chad Plantz, ICE Homeland Security Investigations Houston Special Agent in Charge stated: “This is another example of the extraordinary work being done across the country by the brave men and women in law enforcement to locate and apprehend dangerous criminal aliens, transnational gang members, and foreign fugitives who are in this country illegally and endangering the lives of law-abiding residents.”

Sac-Tambriz initially entered the U.S. illegally on October 13, 2018. He was caught by U.S. Border Patrol shortly after entry and removed to Guatemala on October 25 that year. His re-entry into the U.S., prior to his recent arrest, occurred at an unknown date and location.

To stay updated on ICE's efforts against transnational crime in Southeast Texas follow them on X at @HSIHouston.