Many people use a tragic event to intentionally create or incite public terror. Rioting occurs when three people or more recklessly or intentionally cause a grave risk to the public. Rioting and arson aren’t the same type of criminal acts. Arson is the malicious and willful charring or burning of a structure or property. A riot disturbs public safety typically require police action.
People who riot claim they are overwhelmed with emotion because of a local, state, or national incident like a police shooting. They don’t plan to riot, but are so overwhelmed by the incident that they “vent” their frustration in the streets. Well, that isn’t always the truth.
One example is the Baltimore riots of 2015. In April, people rioted to protest the death of Freddie Gray. Gray died after suffering injuries allegedly sustained while in police custody. They looted. They started fires. They participated in standoffs with the police. One rioter purposely committed a federal crime during the Baltimore riots and was caught.
Cater's Crime
24-year-old Raymon Carter, a resident of Baltimore, plead guilty on September 16 to a federal charge of rioting. A federal crime involves violating laws created by the federal government rather than local or state governments. Punishment is determined according to federal sentencing guidelines.
The federal crime of rioting involves either traveling across state lines, use of any facility, or foreign commerce to do the following:
- Incite a riot; or
- Encourage, promote, or organize, participate in or execute a riot; or
- Commit an act of violence to continue a riot; or
- Abet or aid an individual in a riot;
During the Baltimore riot, Carter destroyed a looted CVS located on Pennsylvania Avenue. He was indicted for the federal crime in July. Federal law prohibits anyone from traveling across state lines or using any facility to riot. In Carter’s case, he used a telephone to participate in a riot. This element was used to charge him with a federal crime.
Carter was caught on surveillance video entering the CVS after looters broke the store’s front doors. He tried to open the safe. Later, Carter was seen igniting a fire in three separate locations of the store. The property damage was more than $1 million. Carter was identified by Baltimore residents after ATF released still photographs of him from the surveillance video.
In a plea agreement reached with prosecutors and Carter, he’ll spend four years in federal prison and pay restitution. The exact amount of the restitution will be determined at his sentencing hearing. The hearing is scheduled for November.
The true intentions of rioters aren’t really known. How could a person be so overwhelmed by emotions that they feel the need to destroy property or steal merchandise? The federal government has just made an example of Carter. Anyone who wants to participate rioting, think again. Some government entity may be watching.
Authored by Taelonnda Sewell, LegalMatch Legal Writer
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