A Brazilian national, Enmanuel Fernandes-Calixto, also known as Emanuel Fernandes and Emanuel Bartholomew, was sentenced to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release for assaulting a federal officer. The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney David Metcalf and handed down by U.S. District Judge Karen S. Marston.
According to court records, on April 2, 2025, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) officer arrested Fernandes-Calixto for immigration violations. While being transported, Fernandes-Calixto attempted to escape despite being handcuffed. He pushed the officer and tried several times to strike him before ultimately escaping during the struggle. He hid in a house in Northeast Philadelphia but was later apprehended with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department SWAT team.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN),” according to information provided by officials.
The investigation was conducted by ICE ERO.
The publication of this press release was delayed due to a federal government shutdown that lasted from October 1, 2025, through November 12, 2025.
