San Diego

A federal immigration detention officer pleaded guilty Friday to charges that he assaulted an undocumented alien in violation of the victim’s civil rights, U.S. Atty. Peter K. Nunez announced.

Agustin G. Martinez was charged in a one-count indictment with striking Jose Nelson Salinas-Murillo, an illegal alien from El Salvador, with his night stick while Salinas-Murillo was on a bus at the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service’s detention center in El Centro. Salinas-Murillo, who suffered injuries to the neck, arms and head, was awaiting transportation to Los Angeles and eventual deportation to El Salvador.

Martinez, 36, had worked at the El Centro facility since November, 1985. Before that, he served as a U.S. Border Patrol agent stationed in Calexico.

Martinez entered his plea before U.S. District Judge J. Lawrence Irving. Under an agreement with prosecutors, he has submitted a letter of resignation from the U.S. Immigration Service. Martinez will be sentenced on March 7 and faces a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $100,000 fine.