The prosecutor overseeing Portland filed charges against 13 people for alleged crimes committed during riots in Oregon’s largest city, which has been shaken by unrest since May 28.
Several of those charged are accused of committing crimes in early July.
Laurielle Aviles, 28, is accused of trying to enact a so-called de-arrest, or trying to pull a person who police were arresting from the officers, on July 3.
When the officer wouldn’t let go of his custody, Aviles punched the officer in the face, according to court documents.
Randal Marcus McCorkle, 31, is accused of launching a mortar at police officers during a riot on July 4. He was charged with felony riot, unlawful use of a weapon, and recklessly endangering another person.
Krystyna Mihalovna Solodenko, 31, was charged with felony riot, among other charges, after allegedly throwing a shield that hit the shoulder of a police officer that same day. She also allegedly kicked an officer in the legs.
The others charged allegedly committed crimes this month.
Brian Scherner, 26, is accused of pushing a female police officer who was arresting another person on Sept. 4. Hannah Baumann, 25, allegedly hit and kicked an officer trying to arrest somebody else during the same riot. And on the same day, Maurice “Reese” Monson is accused of refusing to leave the roadway when law enforcement was dispersing the riot from outside the offices of the police union. Police found Monson, 30, wearing body armor, which he was prohibited from because of a prior robbery conviction.
Elizabeth Elder, 27, is accused of trying to hurt someone she knew to be a police officer during a riot the next day. Also on Sept. 5, Evan Burchfield, 34, threw a wooden shield at a police officer who stood about 2 feet away before running away, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. And officers said they found a loaded pistol inside the vehicle of Demetrius Batchelo, a 34-year-old convicted felon, who was driving near a riot that day.
Enzo Zimmerman, 18, allegedly shoved the right arm and twisted the elbow of a police officer who was trying to arrest someone else during mayhem overnight Sept. 5. When an officer tried taking Zimmerman into custody, he tried to hit and kick the arresting officer, police said.
Ty Fox, 23, allegedly used a torch and lit an incendiary device before launching the device on Sept. 6 at Oregon state troopers. Jawad Fakhuri, 35, hurled a glass bottle toward police during the riot, according to court documents.
Adam Layee, 36, was charged after allegedly lighting a mattress on fire in the street on Sept. 6. The fire was lit during a burn ban and near dry brush, houses, and stores.
Last week, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful directing of light from a laser pointer charges against Bryan Kelley, 36. Prosecutors said Kelley shined a blue laser into the eyes of police officers during a riot overnight Aug. 25, during which rioters targeted the Portland City Hall.
When officers arrested Kelley, they allegedly found a blue laser in his back pocket. Law enforcement found the laser was so powerful that it would burn through paper and cause dry material to catch fire, according to court documents.
“When a laser pointer is used as a weapon, as alleged in this case, we will continue to take appropriate legal action,” Schmidt said in a statement.
Schmidt announced in August that his office would likely not prosecute some cases related to the near-nightly gatherings. That decision sparked the withdrawal of state troopers. Troopers returned late last month but were deputized so that arrests they made could be prosecuted federally.
The FBI, meanwhile, recently stepped up efforts to investigate crimes committed during riots.
Oregon’s U.S. Attorney Billy Williams has charged 10 people this month with civil disorder, a federal charge that can land up to 5 years in prison upon conviction. The tenth was Aviles, who was charged by Schmidt’s office.
Federal officials have increasingly targeted the rioters as local officials fail to quell the unrest, which takes place nearly every night.
From The Epoch Times
