A former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention officer accused of violently assaulting a migrant detainee at a Montgomery County holding facility has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of using excessive force.
Charles Siringi, 66, was initially arrested in May and charged with a felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law for attacking a detainee at the Montgomery Processing Center, a privately run ICE facility in Conroe, Texas, operated by The GEO Group. The center holds hundreds of migrants awaiting immigration hearings or deportation.
According to charging documents, the March assault began when Siringi entered a room where another GEO employee was speaking with the detainee. He reportedly ordered the employee to “get him,” before pushing the detainee into a wall, dragging him across the room, and choking him until he gasped for air. Siringi also slammed the man’s head into a window, leaving visible scratches on the back of the victim’s neck.
Other GEO employees who witnessed the incident told investigators that Siringi’s actions were unprovoked and unnecessary. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted the investigation, which led to his firing shortly after his arrest.
Under a plea agreement announced Monday, the Justice Department reduced Siringi’s charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors will recommend probation, though U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal retains the authority to impose up to one year in prison.
No sentencing date has been set. Neither Siringi’s attorney nor the Justice Department responded to requests for comment.
The case has reignited criticism of private immigration detention facilities and ICE oversight, amid growing allegations of abuse, neglect, and inadequate accountability for officers and contractors accused of misconduct.
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