Rafael Vega-Rodriguez, Attempted Murder, Pennsylvania 2020

A Reading man who shot at FBI agents has been convicted of attempted murder.

Rafael Vega-Rodriguez, 41, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was convicted today at trial of three counts of attempted murder of a federal law enforcement officer, three counts of assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, and two related firearms charges.

The incident occurred on March 1, 2020, when FBI Special Agents were conducting surveillance in the area of Gordon Street in Reading, looking for the defendant, who was the subject of an active state arrest warrant for a parole violation.

At approximately 11:45 p.m., the agents saw the defendant walking in the area of West Greenwich Street with a second individual. When the agents attempted to stop him, Vega-Rodriguez drew a handgun from under his sweatshirt and shot at them. He continued to shoot as he and the second individual fled from the scene.

After an intense manhunt, investigators discovered that Vega-Rodriguez had fled to Leola, Pennsylvania, approximately 30 miles southwest of Reading. He was arrested there by FBI Special Agents and Pennsylvania State Police Troopers in the early morning hours of March 3, 2020.

“Rafael Vega-Rodriguez was so determined not to be arrested and go back to prison that he immediately opened fire on approaching FBI agents,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “It’s incredibly fortunate that none of the agents, or anyone else for that matter, was hit. When Vega-Rodriguez pulled the trigger that night, he sealed his own fate, and now faces spending the rest of his life behind bars.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Stengel, Assistant United States Attorney Everett Witherell, and former Assistant United States Attorney Mary Futcher.

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