Rise of the Moors members have been convicted for his or her roles within the prolonged armed standoff on I-95 in Wakefield.
Jamhal Tavon Sanders Latimer and Steven Anthony Perez had been discovered responsible by a Middlesex Superior Courtroom jury in reference to the 2021 standoff on the freeway. They had been each convicted on gun and physique armor costs.
The Rise of the Moors members and two of their autos had been reportedly discovered by Massachusetts State Police within the breakdown lane of I-95 in Wakefield on July 3, 2021. They had been sporting army type camouflage clothes and physique armor, police mentioned.
Latimer was armed with an AR-style giant capability rifle and falsely claimed that he was the chief of an armed militia from Rhode Island. The defendants claimed that they had been on their approach from Rhode Island to “train” in Maine, police mentioned.
Latimer and Perez had been with 9 different folks, who Latimer known as “his men.” They had been additionally sporting camouflage military-style clothes and physique armor. At the least two of them had been additionally carrying loaded, large-capacity AR-style rifles with giant capability magazines.
Police then discovered that Latimer and Perez didn’t have drivers’ licenses or registrations for the autos they had been driving, or licenses for the weapons. When officers requested them to place their weapons down, they reportedly refused — leading to an 8.5-hour armed standoff.
Finally, after talking with Mass State Police disaster negotiators, Latimer and Perez surrendered and had been arrested.
Police seized: three giant capability AR-style rifles, a bolt-action rifle, a semi-automatic shotgun, two “drum” giant capability magazines able to holding 50 rounds or extra, dozens of 30-plus spherical giant capability magazines, and three semi-automatic pistols, together with a whole lot of rounds of ammunition in various calibers.
“The defendants in this case disrupted multiple communities and jeopardized the safety of many residents who were traveling or intending to travel on a busy Fourth of July weekend,” mentioned Middlesex DA Marian Ryan. “Both Jamhal Tavon Sanders Latimer and Steven Anthony Perez demonstrated a disregard for our laws and failed to comply with the directives of multiple police agencies on scene.
“In Massachusetts we have strict laws regarding the licensing of firearms,” Ryan added. “When individuals come here with weapons, especially high capacity firearms like the ones these defendants had, without being in compliance, they create a substantial danger. The law enforcement agencies that responded that day navigated a very difficult, long and highly publicized situation while ensuring that no one got hurt.”
Latimer was discovered responsible of: illegal possession of a giant capability weapon, illegal possession of a giant capability feeding machine, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a shotgun or rifle, improper storage of a rifle or shotgun close to a minor, use or sporting physique armor throughout a felony, and illegal possession of ammunition.
Perez was discovered responsible of illegal possession of a firearm, and use or sporting physique armor throughout a felony.
“The complex, hours-long standoff that was the subject of this case posed a significant public safety risk on one of the busiest travel days of the year,” Mass State Police Col. Jack Mawn mentioned.
“Despite the inherent risk of illegally-possessed powerful weapons in the hands of these individuals, the Massachusetts State Police, including our STOP Team and crisis negotiators, Wakefield Police, and the NEMLEC SWAT Team used their training and expertise to contain, deescalate, and achieve a peaceful resolution with no injuries to the offenders, the public, or first responders themselves,” Mawn added. “I also commend the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office for their excellent work to secure justice through the successful prosecution of this case.”
Latimer and Perez are set to be sentenced on July 16.
