Austin man sentenced to federal prison for assaulting TSA security officer near Austin-Bergstrom

AUSTIN, Texas - An Austin man has been sentenced to federal prison for assaulting a TSA security officer in 2019.

Candido Rodriguez III, 21, was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison. In addition to the prison term, Rodriguez was ordered to be on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term. 

According to a Department of Justice release, the victim was driving to work at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport in November 2019 and stopped at a traffic light just before the entrance. Rodriguez approached the victim, who was behind the wheel with the driver's side window open several inches. The victim was wearing an official TSA uniform with TSA insignia plainly visible.

Rodriguez engaged in a brief verbal exchange with the victim, during which he referred to the victim being an "officer." The victim responded by stating they were employed as a security officer at the airport. Rodriguez then forcibly opened the driver's side door of the vehicle and began striking, scratching and cutting the victim's head, face and right hand with a sharp object, says the release.

The victim ultimately escaped from Rodriguez by accelerating through the intersection and onto airport property, says the release. The victim received a number of stitches to close cuts on their face and right hand.

In December, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting a federal officer.