Baruch Roche II, Attempted Possession of Firearm in Federal Facility, Florida 2023

Tampa, FL – A brazen attempt to breach national security has landed a local man in hot water. Baruch Roche II, a 33-year-old resident of Tampa, has been indicted for one count of attempted possession of a firearm in a federal facility.

According to the indictment, on November 3, 2023, Roche attempted to enter MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, in his vehicle. U.S. Air Force security personnel stopped him at the gate and asked for identification. Roche refused to provide it, instead identifying himself as ‘Captain America’ and demanding entry, stating that he had a meeting with a General of the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to provide top secret information.

Roche became argumentative and threatened to come back every day to look for the officers denying him entry. Due to his suspicious behavior, Roche was detained and security personnel searched his vehicle. An AR-15 rifle was located in the trunk, as well as five magazines loaded with 125 rounds of ammunition.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

Roche faces a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison if convicted. The indictment also notifies Roche that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition that were used to facilitate the offense.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Air Force Security Forces, the Tampa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

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