ICE deportation officer accused of 'continuously abusing' mother of his child
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer is charged with continuous assault of a family member after he allegedly beat the mother of their 1-year-old son.
According to court records obtained by ABC13 on Thursday, the woman feared for her life and the life of their child.
Court records said 35-year-old Joseph Pulido started yelling and striking the woman multiple times after she posted a picture on social media.
"The most concerning allegation in this case is that it has been a continuous and ongoing incident," said Matthew Magill, a domestic violence prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
Court records state in the most recent case, which happened just days ago at their home, Pulido "began yelling at her and he then used an open hand to strike her several times across the face and upper torso."
"When she went to scream for help, he told her that if the police came, he would kill her, he would kill their 1-year-old son and he would kill himself," said Magill.
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He also prevented the victim from leaving for nearly 12 hours, according to court records.
She ultimately was able to sneak away. The woman then reported the incident to deputies at a hospital and disclosed another incident of alleged abuse in March.
"The March incident and the June incident are relatively similar in that he restricted her ability to leave their home and he told her that if she called for help, that there would be consequences," said Magill.
Pulido first appeared before a judge on Tuesday where they discussed his time as an officer.
"Mr. Pulido has been working as a deportation officer for the past six years," said an attorney.
We reached out to ICE for comment concerning Pulido and the status of his employment. A spokesperson said they do not comment on personnel matters. As for prosecutors, they are working to end the cycle of violence.
"It takes a lot of courage to come forward then and allege something against someone that you've loved at a point in time and start the process. It does take a lot of bravery to do that," said Magill.
Eyewitness News reached out to Pulido by phone, and he hung up. His attorney has not returned our calls.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE).
