On Wednesday, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office revealed federal charges against a man who was captured on camera attacking a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy. The perpetrator proceeded to steal and discharge her own firearm at her.
Among the charges leveled against 26-year-old Ari Aki Young, are possession of a stolen firearm and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.
In 2023, Young faced serious state charges of attempted murder and assault with a weapon, but was ultimately acquitted. However, a conviction for negligently discharging a gun resulted in a sentence of a year and a half in jail.
During a news conference in Riverside on Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada expressed his belief that justice was not served in the previous proceedings. As a result, federal felony charges are being brought forward.
On September 4, 2019, Deputy Meagan McCarthy (formerly known as Meagan Forsberg) from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office was dispatched to a call made by a concerned mother about a disturbance involving her son, Young.
According to a statement given to ABC-7, the deputy who encountered Young in the driveway was incredibly irate and attempted to detain him. However, during the altercation, Young fought for the deputy’s gun and managed to take control of it. He proceeded to shoot at the deputy, who found refuge behind a nearby bush. Fortunately, additional deputies arrived on the scene and fired at Young, ultimately subduing him. Despite being shot multiple times, Young managed to survive the encounter.
According to Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, federal charges are usually not pursued when state charges have already been filed, unless there is a significant interest from the government.
Under the dual sovereignty doctrine, it is permissible for two different agencies to press charges for the same offense without violating the double jeopardy clause of the 5th Amendment, as long as the crime has an impact on both jurisdictions involved.
Rahmani stated that the outcome in the US state court did not meet their expectations, leading the prosecutors to pursue federal charges.
The federal complaint states that Young had stolen a gun that belonged to the sheriff’s department and was manufactured outside the state. It further notes that the department has a significant budget and considerable purchasing power that influences both interstate and foreign commerce.
Rahmani has raised concerns about the inclusion of Hobbs Act violation charges, which typically pertain to robbery or extortion that affects interstate commerce, in addition to the theft of a weapon charges. He suggests that this deviation from the norm might indicate a weakness in the government’s case.
According to him, Hobbs Act cases are usually more closely associated with interstate commerce, such as when a phone is used to extort money from someone. He mentioned that this case may not have such strong ties to interstate commerce.
He stated that if there is no link to interstate commerce, the case must be dismissed, as it would be a far-fetched argument.
During the news conference, Estrada was asked about the previous acquittal of Young in the state trial. Rather than speculating on what the jury may have been considering, he stated that he avoids making assumptions or trying to interpret their thought process.
Estrada believes that it’s crucial to send a strong message that violent attacks against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated. “If an individual brutally assaults an officer while they’re trying to carry out their duties, federal charges are a necessary and appropriate response,” he stated.
During the news conference on Wednesday, Sheriff Shannon D. Dicus of San Bernardino County expressed his surprise at the verdict against Young and highlighted the increasing trend of violence against police officers. He emphasized that it’s important to remember that law enforcement officials can also be victims of violence.
Young’s lawyer contended during the trial that McCarthy had unlawfully detained his client.
During the trial, Young’s lawyer conceded that he had fired McCarthy’s gun, but argued that he had not intentionally aimed at the deputy. In the end, Young was convicted of negligently discharging a firearm in 2023, but was acquitted of the more severe charges of attempted murder and assault with a firearm against McCarthy. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on counts of battery against a peace officer, disarming an officer, and resisting arrest.
In utter shock, McCarthy expressed her disbelief to ABC-7 about the verdict. She explained that as a law enforcement officer, it was her responsibility to investigate the reported domestic disturbance. “I couldn’t ignore the call. It was my duty to follow through and do my job,” she stated. Despite her efforts to help the victim, the suspect’s actions ultimately determined the outcome of the situation. McCarthy emphasized that she did everything in her power as a human being and a police officer to assist the woman in need.
