A Harris County grand jury indicted 33-year-old Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Mario Alberto Morales on Friday on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare announced the indictment, stating that Morales deliberately drove his unmarked vehicle into 48-year-old Miguel Parra Hernandez during an enforcement operation on October 10. The charge carries a potential prison sentence of two to 20 years.
Indictment and Video Evidence in Houston
The indictment marks the first time an immigration agent has been criminally charged in Texas. Teare played body camera and security footage during a Friday news conference, asserting that the evidence is as clear as any he has ever investigated. The footage reportedly shows Parra Hernandez on the ground screaming. Parra Hernandez sustained a broken leg alongside hip injuries during the collision and remains at a rehab facility under ICE custody, according to representatives. ICE previously stated that the allegations that Morales struck Parra Hernandez intentionally are reckless and false, but local investigators rejected that account after reviewing business and bystander videos.
A Harris County grand jury has indicted an ICE officer, and the timing caught my attention. On Friday, the last day of early voting here in Texas, prosecutors charged ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.This goes back to October 10 in…
Did You Know? Mario Alberto Morales was hired by ICE in August 2025 as part of an aggressive immigration surge into several U.S. cities, according to district attorney statements.
Federal officials defend agent against local indictment
Federal immigration officials defended the agent in an emailed statement, characterizing the grand jury action as a political stunt by sanctuary politicians and asserting that local governments lack the authority to investigate federal officers acting in the course of their duties. Teare countered that local authorities possess full jurisdiction to investigate criminal acts. Meanwhile, defense attorney David A. Lindenmuth stated that his client did not intentionally strike anyone.
Expert Insight: Criminal indictments of federal law enforcement officers remain rare and frequently trigger complex jurisdictional disputes between state prosecutors and federal authorities over immunity and extradition.
Sheriff reveals detainees rode in vehicle during crash
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez noted that two handcuffed detainees from a separate operation were riding inside the ICE vehicle when it struck Parra Hernandez. Teare’s office is also investigating the July fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by another ICE officer during a vehicle stop.
Mario Alberto Morales faces aggravated assault charges
What specific charge does Mario Alberto Morales face?
Morales was indicted on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, which carries a punishment of two to 20 years in prison under Texas law.
What injuries did Miguel Parra Hernandez sustain in the collision?
Parra Hernandez suffered multiple leg fractures including a broken leg, as well as hip injuries from the October 10 incident on Clay Road.
UPDATE: THE ICE OFFICER HAS BEEN INDICTED.Remember the Houston surveillance video of an ICE SUV pursuing a fleeing construction worker?A Harris County grand jury has now indicted ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.The alleged… https://t.co/Q3rkuvurlX
How has Immigration and Customs Enforcement responded to the indictment?
An ICE spokesperson issued a statement calling the indictment a political stunt by Houston sanctuary politicians and maintained that local governments lack the authority to investigate federal officers acting in the line of duty.
How might this rare state-level prosecution alter accountability standards for federal law enforcement agents operating across local jurisdictions?
More on Mario Alberto Morales
🚨 NEW: Bodycam released of ICE agent running over a man in HoustonThe Harris County DA released the footage today as a grand jury indicted ICE agent Mario Alberto Morales for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon: his vehicle. pic.twitter.com/AUdsf4bPyt
🛑 Texas DA Indicts ICE Officer for Running Over a Man During a Chase 🛑A Harris County grand jury just indicted ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales, 33, for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The weapon was his vehicle.DA Sean Teare says bakery surveillance and… pic.twitter.com/5oGnJ1SXru
A Harris County grand jury handed up an indictment against ICE agent Mario Alberto Morales, 33, this morning. The charge is aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, brought by Democratic DA Sean Teare over an Oct. 10 Houston enforcement operation where Morales's SUV struck… pic.twitter.com/kwPAPB42dz
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