Three Portland residents were charged with civil disorder, a federal charge that carries up to five years in prison, because of their participation in riots in Oregon’s largest city, federal officials said.
William Grant Reuland, 24, Alexandra Eutin, 24, and Pedro Aldo Ramos Jr., 20, were charged in court this week.
Reuland is accused of shining high-powered lasers in the face of several police officers at the Multnomah County Justice Center on June 13.
An FBI agent in an affidavit said an officer moved from the building’s roof to a lower floor to take pictures of Reuland and sent the photos to a sergeant, who distributed them to other officers.
About 24 hours later, Reuland was part of a crowd that marched to Mayor Ted Wheeler’s apartment building. An officer patrolling the crowd saw Reuland shine a laser at Wheeler’s apartment and at other homes in the neighborhood.
Officers took Reuland into custody and found four laser pointers on him.
Reuland asked what he was being arrested for and an officer said he was being arrested for pointing laser pointers at police officers.
“That’s not against the law,” the man responded, according to court documents.
Eutin allegedly struck a police officer with a wooden shield during a riot on July 16 outside the Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct.
A police officer was attempting to make an arrest while dispersing rioters when Eutin allegedly used a makeshift shield to hit the officer on top of his head/helmet.
Another officer who witnessed what happened arrested Eutin.
An FBI agent said in an affidavit that there is probable cause to believe that Eutin “struck a Portland Police Bureau Officer’s head and helmet with a piece of wood for the intended purpose of obstructing, impeding, or interfering in a violent manner with such law enforcement officer; that she did so knowingly and willfully; and that she did so during a civil disorder that adversely affected interstate commerce.”
Ramos is accused of hitting a female police officer in the face on Aug. 24 during a riot outside the bureau’s North Precinct.
The officer was taking a female subject into custody who refused to follow orders to disperse and assaulted the officer. While the officer, or “V1,” was making the arrest, Ramos “ran up to the arresting officer, grabbed ahold of V1’s vest, and attempted to pull V1 off the arrestee,” according to court documents. Ramos “then punched V1 on the side of her face.”
The assault was witnessed by another officer who arrested Ramos.
An attorney representing Eutin and Ramos declined to comment. A lawyer representing Reuland didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The defendants were released pending further court proceedings.
The FBI stepped up efforts to track down people committing crimes during protests and riots in Portland last month.
Agents are being assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service and Homeland Security Investigations.
Six others were charged with civil disorder in Portland last week following FBI investigations.
Riots have taken place most nights in Portland since May 28.
Eleven people were arrested overnight Tuesday after a crowd blocked train traffic and hurled projectiles at police officers.
