LRPD assist in serving Federal Warrants pic.twitter.com/koOXgSHTXd
— Little Rock Police (@LRpolice) December 17, 2020
UPDATE: U.S. Attorney Cody Hiland announced today charges against four more people for firebombing police vehicles in August.
This covers the vandalized tires and potential Molotov cocktails found after a police protest Aug. 25 at the 12th Street Little Rock police substation (a device was thrown but a car wasn’t set on fire), and the Aug. 28 burning of a State Police car in a fenced lot at Little Rock headquarters;
The four are in addition to Mujera Benjamin Lungaho, who already had been indicted for firebombing a North Little Rock police cruiser and in the State Police car fire.
They are charged with malicious destruction of property belonging to an entity that receives federal money; conspiracy to commit that act, and possession of destructive devices.
Also charged were Brittany Dawn Jeffrey, 21, who’s been active in several demonstrations for justice reform; Aline Espinosa-Villegas, 24; Renae Goddard, 22, and Emily Nowlin. All are in custody, Hiland’s office said.
Said Hiland:
“Today’s arrests send a message that violence targeted toward law enforcement will not be tolerated. Breaking into a police compound and fire bombing a police vehicle with a homemade explosive device is clearly not a peaceful protest. Those who would target law enforcement with violent acts will not do so in the Eastern District of Arkansas without the full resources of the federal government being deployed to assist our state and local partners in bringing those responsible to justice. They will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
An arrest affidavit for Lungaho mentioned that others were involved in the incidents directed at law enforcement. The continuing investigation led to the additional charges today. Hiland indicated the government had witnesses cooperating.
Hiland said the group worked together. Lungaho previously had been identified as a participant in a July 18 Black Lives Matter demonstration at the Capitol and in spraying messages on Confederate statues in the Oakland Cemetery and those charged today turn up in accounts of those events as well.
An affidavit released today with the announcement of new charges says that cooperating witnesses said Jeffery and another woman who has not been charged, Virginia Davis, participated in the cemetery vandalism. It said the incendiary devices found at the 12th Street station were assembled at Jeffrey’s home. It says all those charged and Virginia Davis participated in events leading to the State Police firebombing, with photos from the document.
The affidavit reveals that, in addition to informants, investigators used cell phone records to tie suspects to the crimes.
Several of the suspects and others participated in spray painting a Little Rock police billboard and the “tagging” spray paint graffiti of various law enforcement vehicles and buildings and a police memorial.
The affidavit says a cell phone taken from Lungaho after his earlier arrested showed text encrypted messages in a chat group planning activities.
Others are named in the affidavit but not charged. It’s unclear whether more charges are possible, but the office did say the investigation is ongoing.