FRESNO -  A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Carlos Perez, 45, of Fresno, charging him with assault on a federal contractor, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on June 21, 2021, Perez assaulted a Court Security Officer inside the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Fresno by striking the officer in the face.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Protective Services, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Perez faces a maximum statutory penalty of eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.