A California man, Gabriel Omar Gigena, 42, of Valley Springs, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for assaulting a federal officer. The sentencing took place in Salt Lake City before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ted Stewart. Gigena will also serve three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
Court documents and trial evidence showed that on May 4, 2024, two task force officers with the United States Marshal Service attempted to apprehend Gigena at a park in Park City, Utah. The officers were also tasked with ensuring the safety of Gigena’s twin three-year-old daughters and the public during the operation. Due to security concerns, law enforcement accelerated their approach and tackled Gigena. During the incident, as one officer tried to move Gigena’s hands away from the children, both fell to the ground and Gigena placed the officer in a choke hold.
“Gigena is a danger to the public and to law enforcement across the country. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has zero tolerance to those who threaten public servants,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “Gigena engaged in very serious and violent conduct against a law enforcement officer, and that is unacceptable. No one is above the law, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute crimes of this nature.”
“This case is a stark reminder of the dangers law enforcement faces every day in service to our community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Albert Kelly of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Violence against civil servants will not be tolerated. The FBI is committed to ensuring justice is served.”
The investigation was led by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Pead and J. Drew Yeates prosecuted this case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that unites various levels of law enforcement with local communities aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence while improving neighborhood safety nationwide. In May 2021, PSN adopted an updated strategy focusing on trust-building within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting targeted enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes. More information about Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psn.
