A 39-year-old Tucson man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly wounding a federal agent throughout an drive-by capturing on Tucson’s Southeast Facet final week, officers stated.
Jerardo Jay Rosales, 39, was charged with two counts, together with assault on a federal officer utilizing a lethal weapon and prohibited possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On Oct. 17, an agent recognized in courtroom information as P.L. was conducting surveillance within the car parking zone of a 7-11 comfort retailer on the nook of twenty ninth Avenue and South Columbus Boulevard. Round 7:45 p.m., Rosales allegedly pulled as much as the agent in a
dark-colored Hyundai Sonata and fired a 9mm pistol at P.L.’s car,
hitting the agent within the left arm. The agent was handled on the hospital and launched, stated Brooke Brennan,
an FBI spokeswoman.
P.L. was recognized as a deportation agent with Enforcement and Removing Operations, part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agent was working as a part of a job power with the U.S. Marshals Service, stated Yasmeen Pitts-O’Keefe, an ICE spokeswoman.
Court docket information determine P.L. as a particular deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service. Nonetheless, as a result of the incident concerned a federal agent, the
FBI took cost of the investigation, stated Pitts-O’Keefe.
It stays unclear why the agent was shot at.
Safety cameras on the 7-11 and an house advanced throughout the road
captured the capturing, and officers had been in a position to join the sedan to
Rosales. In keeping with the indictment filed towards Rosales, moments earlier than the capturing, his Hyundai Sonata approached the doorway gate of an house advanced at 2020 S. Columbus Blvd. Nonetheless the doorway gate was blocked by one other car, and the motive force turned the Sonata round and drove into the 7-11 car parking zone simply earlier than the capturing.
After the capturing, Rosales allegedly fled, however he did not go far. Brokers matched the car to the house advanced throughout the road from the capturing. Later, whereas the brokers had been observing the car, Rosales approached them and started talking with them, based on courtroom information.
Rosales advised the brokers he served 10 years in jail, however “was allowed to have weapons” and the brokers noticed a gun field in “plain view on the rear floorboards” of the Hyundai. Brokers requested Rosales if the gun was within the car, and he advised them the weapon—a 9mm SCCY pistol—was in his house. A felony background verify confirmed Rosales was convicted of escape from custody, and he served a 10-year jail sentence.
Officers added there was “no indication Rosales had his proper to own firearms restored.”
Brokers executed a search warrant on Rosales house and located the 9mm pistol and 20 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition, generally utilized in AR-15-style rifles. Brokers confirmed the pistol and ammunition was procured in one other state, officers stated.
The Tucson Police Division confirmed the bullets recovered from the agent’s car had been fired by the pistol present in Rosales’ house, based on courtroom information.
Rosales confronted his preliminary look in entrance of U.S. District Choose Jacqueline M. Rateau on Thursday, and he faces as much as 20 years in jail and a advantageous of $250,000 for assaulting a federal officer. He additionally faces as much as 15 years in jail and a advantageous of $250,000 for prohibited possession of a firearm.
The FBI is conducting the investigation and Assistant U.S. Legal professional Matthew Cassell with the District of Arizona is dealing with the prosecution.