SEATTLE, WA – A Florida man with a penchant for arson and intimidation is headed to federal prison for fifteen years. SANG NGOC UNG, 54, of Margate, Florida, received the sentence today for a terrifying campaign of violence aimed at collecting a $20,000 debt from family members in Seattle. U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan announced the sentencing, a culmination of a case that exposed Ung’s ruthless methods.
Ung pleaded guilty in April 2014 to a laundry list of federal charges: Collection of Extension of Credit by Extortionate Means, Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering Activity, Unlawful Possession of a Destructive Device, and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The charges stem from a June 10, 2013 incident where Ung firebombed a home on S. Cloverdale Street. The blaze caused extensive damage, forcing the homeowner, her adult children, and a friend to escape through windows and the garage in a desperate bid for safety.
The fire was just the opening act. Shortly after, investigators discovered an unignited destructive device at a second home linked to the same family. Ung had reportedly been relentlessly pressuring his relatives for the $20,000 he claimed they owed him. Despite partial payments, the threats continued to escalate, culminating in the violent acts. Ung arrived in the Seattle area in mid-May 2013 and immediately resumed his intimidation tactics.
Evidence painted a clear picture of Ung’s involvement. Cell phone records placed him in Seattle on the night of the fire and the planting of the device. Forensic analysis of the unignited bomb directly linked him to the scene. He returned to the Seattle area in July 2013, where he was apprehended by Seattle Police and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). At the time of his arrest, Ung was found to be carrying a firearm, admitting he was armed during the commission of these crimes.
“This defendant earned every day of this sentence,” declared U.S. Attorney Durkan. “He attempted to rule his victims through fear and violence. He endangered not just his targeted victims, but those who live nearby and all first responders.” U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones handed down the fifteen-year sentence, a message that such brazen acts of intimidation and violence will not be tolerated.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Seattle Police Department and the ATF, with the case prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg. This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by individuals who resort to violence to settle scores and the dedication of law enforcement to bring them to justice. Ung’s fifteen-year sentence should send a clear signal: debt collection does not give anyone the right to endanger lives.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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