Man facing prison for attacking Arizona Border Patrol agent

TUCSON, Ariz. - A Mexican man is facing up to nine years in prison for attacking a U.S. Border Patrol agent in southern Arizona in January, federal authorities said Monday.

Prosecutors said 22-year-old Rey David Marquez-Jimenez pleaded guilty last week to one count of attempted murder of a federal officer.

He’s scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 12 in U.S. District Court in Tucson.

Under terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors said Marquez-Jimenez faces a prison sentence of 60 to 108 months followed by three years of supervised release.

Marquez-Jimenez was accused of tackling a Border Patrol agent on Jan. 26 near Hereford as the agent was attempting to handcuff another person.

Authorities said Marquez-Jimenez punched the agent several times and tried to pull the agent’s gun out of its holster.

Marquez-Jimenez reportedly tried to point the weapon at the agent, then got on top of him and tried to stab him with a knife.

Authorities said the agent gained control of the knife and Marquez-Jimenez fled on foot before being apprehended by other Border Patrol agents.

This photo shows a US Border Patrol patch on a border agent's uniform in McAllen, Texas, on January 15, 2019. (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images)