A federal grand jury in Little Rock, Arkansas, has returned a seven-count superseding indictment against Rodrigo Pineda Gomez, 44, and his son, Miguel Gomez, 21, charging them with multiple counts of assault on three U.S. Air Force airmen at the Misawa Air Base in Japan.
Gomez and his son allegedly assaulted the airmen on December 31, 2016. The indictment alleges that Gomez attempted to kill one of the airmen, resisted arrest, and made a false statement about the incident. His son, Miguel Gomez, assaulted another airman and resisted arrest.
The superseding indictment charges Gomez with one count of attempted voluntary manslaughter, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, three counts of assault by striking, beating, or wounding, one count of resisting a federal officer, and one count of making a false statement to law enforcement. Miguel Gomez is charged with one count of resisting a federal officer and one count of assault by striking, beating, or wounding.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. The prosecution is being handled by Trial Attorney Frank Rangoussis of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacy Williams of the Eastern District of Arkansas.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The defendants had their initial court appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge Patricia S. Harris in the Eastern District of Arkansas. Their last known U.S. address is alleged to be Jacksonville, Arkansas.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski, U.S. Attorney Cody Hiland, and Colonel Kirk B. Stabler of the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations made the announcement.
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Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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