Melecio, Dockery Charged in Police Car Fire Attempt

In a brazen act of violence amid civil unrest, Killian F. Melecio, 20, of Columbus, New Jersey, and Kadeem A. Dockery, 29, of Trenton, are accused of attempting to ignite a marked Trenton Police Department vehicle during the chaotic protests of May 31, 2020. Federal prosecutors say the two men targeted law enforcement in a calculated attack that threatened the lives of officers and civilians alike.

According to court documents and video evidence, Dockery lit an explosive device and hurled it through the open driver’s side window of the police cruiser. Moments later, he stripped off his shirt and handed it to Melecio, who attempted to stuff the fabric into the vehicle’s gas tank and set it ablaze. The attempted arson was captured on multiple surveillance and bystander videos, providing a damning visual trail that led directly to their arrest.

Justin D. Spry, already charged in a June 2, 2020 criminal complaint, was seen on video attempting to ignite the car alongside Melecio. As law enforcement moved in, Spry tried to flee but was apprehended at the scene. During the arrest, Dockery lit a second explosive and threw it over the police vehicle, detonating it at officers’ feet—an act investigators say showed clear intent to harm.

FBI agents, using footage from a street camera and individual recordings, identified both Melecio and Dockery by their distinctive tattoos. The visual evidence, combined with real-time observations from officers on the ground, formed the backbone of the federal investigation. Melecio was taken into custody on August 5, 2020, and ordered detained pending a bail hearing. Dockery was arrested the same day but released.

Both men face two federal counts: attempting to damage or destroy by fire a vehicle owned by an institution receiving federal financial assistance, and attempting to damage or destroy by fire a vehicle used in and affecting interstate commerce. Each charge carries a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Newark, along with officers from the Trenton Police Department, New Jersey State Police, and New Jersey Department of Corrections, for their critical roles in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Ramey and Michelle S. Gasparian. As of now, the defendants remain presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.