Press Release
UTAH FUGITIVE INDICTED FOR ASSAULT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND FIREARMS VIOLATIONS
April 16, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Fred Burnside, Director, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Criminal Enforcement, Forensics and Training, announced today that Larkin Baggett, 54, formerly of Salt Lake City, Utah, was charged by a federal Grand Jury in Miami today with assaulting law enforcement officers and illegally possessing eight firearms while he was a fugitive from the District of Utah on an environmental crimes prosecution. The five-count Indictment alleges that Baggett used a weapon to assault three EPA Special Agents and a Monroe County Sheriff's Office Sargeant who was assisting the EPA, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 111 and 922(g).
According to the Indictment filed in this matter, defendant Baggett violated the conditions of his pre-trial release in the District of Utah, while awaiting trial in the case of United States v. Larkin Baggett, Case No. 2:07-00619-001-DAK, and became a fugitive from justice. A standard condition of pre-trial release prohibits the possession of firearms. Federal law also prohibits a fugitive from possessing firearms. According to the Indictment, Baggett possessed four rifles and four pistols of various calibers on March10, 2009, when agents sought to arrest him.
The Indictment further alleges that Baggett used a .308 caliber semi-automatic assault rifle to threaten the EPA Special Agents and the accompanying Monroe County Sargeant during the course of their execution of the Utah arrest warrant at Marathon, FL. According to Court records, Baggett was wounded during the course of his arrest and is in custody without bond pending his ability to appear in Court on the Utah charges.
U.S. Attorney Acosta stated, "Federal and state law enforcement officers provide essential services to our community. Anyone who endangers the life and safety of these dedicated public servants, especially through the illegal use of firearms, can expect to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
"Larkin Baggett was a fugitive with an outstanding federal warrant for his arrest," said Director Burnside, of the EPA. "The charges brought against him today stem from his threatening EPA's Special Agents and Monroe County Sheriff's Deputies with a firearm. We're gratified that none of the law enforcement officers involved in arresting Mr. Baggett was injured, and that through their efforts he has been apprehended and will have his day in court."
Mr. Acosta commended the coordinated investigative efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, which brought the matter to a successful conclusion. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jodi Mazer, who is also a Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel with EPA, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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