A routine summer traffic stop in northwest Oklahoma City has ended with a years-long federal prison term for the driver at the center of it.
Jose Melgar‑Rivas was sentenced Tuesday to 78 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges tied to a July traffic stop in northwest Oklahoma City that left a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer seriously injured. Prosecutors say Melgar‑Rivas put his vehicle into drive while an ICE agent was caught in the door, dragging the officer before he managed to free himself. Authorities say Melgar‑Rivas then fled the scene and was arrested hours later. According to prosecutors, he will be deported after serving his sentence.
As detailed in a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma, Melgar‑Rivas, 35, pleaded guilty on Sept. 30, 2025, to assaulting, resisting or impeding a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer resulting in bodily injury. Prosecutors say the traffic stop unfolded on July 15, 2025, on NW 23rd Street in Oklahoma City. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Aug. 5, 2025, and U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones II imposed the 78‑month sentence on March 3, 2026.
How the stop turned violent
U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester described Melgar‑Rivas’ conduct as “reckless” and said the punishment reflects both the harm to the injured officer and the risk posed to the public, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Federal authorities say the key moment came when Melgar‑Rivas shifted his vehicle into gear while the ICE officer was still caught in the door, effectively turning the car into a moving hazard…