WASHINGTON – Jerritt Jeremy Pace, 39, of Washington, D.C., was indicted today by a federal grand jury, charging him with multiple offenses related to his attempt to burn down a police precinct.
Pace was arrested on May 29, 2020. On June 11, 2020, Pace was charged by Criminal Complaint with receiving an explosive in interstate commerce, using an instrumentality of interstate commerce to threaten the use of explosives, and attempted arson. On June 12, 2020, the Honorable U.S. Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather held Pace without bond pending trial. Today, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment against Pace charging him with three federal arson and explosives offenses.
The Criminal Complaint and Indictment stem from an incident on or about May 29, 2020, when Pace announced on social media his intent to burn down a police station. Pace encouraged rioting against law enforcement and suggested that his followers go to MPD’s Fourth District Station, located at 6001 Georgia Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C., to burn the station and “riot with the rest of the nation.” That morning, around 6 o’clock, Pace filled a plastic laundry detergent container with gasoline and a wick and ignited it in front of the Fourth District Station. Although the physical building remained unharmed and no one was injured, the container exploded and burned on the sidewalk. Pace was immediately apprehended by an off-duty detective and police officer.
If convicted, Pace faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each count, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
“While the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia acknowledges the First Amendment right of individuals to protest peacefully, conduct that poses a grave risk to law enforcement, peaceful protestors, and community members alike will be prosecuted,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin. “The quick investigative efforts of ATF and MPD thwarted a dangerous person’s attempt to use a makeshift gasoline bomb to potentially cause – in addition to property damage – serious bodily harm or death to law enforcement officers and members of our community.”
“Today’s indictment is a testament to the dedicated investigative work of the ATF/DC Arson & Explosives Task Force, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and DC Fire Department. Swift identification of violent offenders is key to stopping criminal acts that can destroy property, harm people, and take lives,” said ATF Washington Special Agent in Charge Ashan Benedict. “ATF will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of our communities and the officers who serve them.”
