Female Arrested for Assaulting a Federal Officer

SAN JUAN, PR—Defendant Rose Lee Meyers-Berrios was indicted by a federal grand jury and arrested today for knowingly and forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer Carlos González-Aquino, announced United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico Rosa Emilia Rodríguez Vélez.

On November 6, 2010, defendant Meyers-Berrios tried to enter the sterile area without a boarding pass at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina, Puerto Rico. TSA officer González-Aquino informed the woman she could not pass. Meyers-Berrios invaded the officer’s personal space making remarks of a sexual nature. Officer González-Aquino reacted by standing and trying to move away from the woman when, suddenly, the woman punched him on his right cheek bone with her left fist and ran towards the Jet Blue terminal. The woman was arrested by Police of Puerto Rico Officer Ayala.

“The actions of the defendant are a terrible example of the lack of tolerance that our community is living in. This aggressive behavior cannot be tolerated, and we will use every resource available to make certain that violations of this sort result in the maximum prison term available,” said United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez Vélez.

“I want to remind the public that assault on a federal officer is a federal offense and you will be prosecuted. TSA personnel are federal officers, and just because certain individuals may not agree with the current airport security measures in place in order to prevent a terrorist attack, this does not give anyone the right to attack or assault a TSA employee,” said Luis Fraticelli, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI-San Juan Field Office.

If convicted, the defendant could face up to 20 years in prison. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Martin.

An indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.