Border agent who punched teen in stomach on video went unpunished

Aldo Arteaga, 35, a U.S. Border Patrol agent seen punching a Mexican immigrant teenager on video could have his felony charge of aggravated assault reduced to a misdemeanor, according to the Santa Cruz County attorney prosecuting the case. (Courtesy Santa Cruz County Adult Detention Center)

TUCSON, Ariz. — New documents show U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials saw videos of a Nogales, Arizona, border agent punching a teen in the stomach the day after the January incident, but the agent continued to work until last week.

That’s when an internal investigation was turned over to the Santa Cruz county attorney’s office.

Prosecutors charged Aldo Arteaga with felony aggravated assault but it was reduced to misdemeanor assault because the Mexican immigrant Arteaga was seen punching was 15 years old during the Jan. 30 incident. It’s a felony in Arizona for an adult to assault someone under age 15.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute Arteaga.

The agent’s attorney has declined to comment but said in court documents that Arteaga’s actions “were necessary and proper to perform his duties.”