A federal judge in Brownsville on Monday sentenced 23-year-old Kemar Ramon James. Prosecutors say James is a citizen of Jamaica who formerly had legal permanent resident status in the U.S.
James pleaded guilty to assaulting and obstructing an immigration agent at the Port Isabel Detention Center over the 2010 incident. He later withdrew his plea and was convicted in October of the same charge.
Investigators say the guard needed two stitches after being punched by James. The attack happened as James, who was facing deportation proceedings, got in a fight with guards as they attempted to remove another detainee from a living area.
