CBP Officer Charged in Colorado Protest Incident

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has been charged with third-degree assault and criminal mischief following an incident during a protest outside an ICE facility in Durango, Colorado. Nicholas Rice, the officer involved, is accused of grabbing Franci Stagi by the hair and putting her in a chokehold, causing bodily injury.

Multiple videos from bystanders show Rice pulling Stagi across the street during a protest in October against the detention of three Colombian asylum-seekers. The Colorado Bureau of Investigations launched an investigation into Rice's actions at the request of Durango Police Department Chief Brice Current. Court documents allege that Rice committed third-degree assault and criminal mischief for allegedly damaging Stagi's cellphone.

Stagi, a retired hypnotherapist, said she was filming Rice outside the ICE facility when he hit her hand hard, causing her to lose her cellphone. She then reached for his shoulder to get his attention, after which she claims he put her in a chokehold and threw her down an embankment next to the street. Stagi expressed disappointment that Rice was charged with less serious crimes but hopes the prosecution sends a message against excessive force by immigration officers.

The incident has drawn attention due to the broader context of federal law enforcement's use of force, particularly in light of state laws prohibiting chokeholds and neck restraints since George Floyd's death in 2020. Legal experts note that while federal law enforcement officers have broad legal protections, these are not absolute.