Texas Deputy Sentenced for Sexual Assault

A federal judge in Texas has sentenced Ignacio Rodriguez IV, a former sheriff’s deputy from Webb County (Laredo), to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman during a traffic stop.

This sentencing took place this week before U.S. District Judge Marina Marmolejo in the Southern District of Texas. Rodriguez had previously entered a guilty plea on April 23 as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, which included the dismissal of additional charges.

The case documents indicate that on September 1, 2024, Rodriguez stopped a vehicle that was driving on the incorrect side of the road. During this traffic stop, he interacted with two women inside the car, who admitted to having been drinking after attending a pool party.

Rodriguez reportedly told one of the women that she needed to persuade him to let them go, or else he would take them to jail. The woman insisted she was not interested in a relationship, saying she was currently in one. At this point, Rodriguez disabled his body camera and took one of the women to his patrol car, where he verbally intimidated her, repeatedly gesturing to his handgun.

Once in the patrol car, Rodriguez unzipped his pants and forced the woman to perform oral sex, which was so forceful that it caused her to vomit. After the assault, he let her go but used her phone to call himself and obtain her number.

After returning home, the victim’s family alerted local law enforcement, and she was taken to a hospital for a post-sexual assault evaluation, which confirmed her allegations. Investigators, including local police and Texas State Troopers, reviewed video footage from the vicinity that corroborated the victim’s account.