Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Neil DeSousa, Acting U.S. Marshal, announced that defendant Samir D. Herrera,32, formerly of Hialeah, FL, was charged in a three count complaint with assaulting law enforcement officers. Herrera made his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linnea R. Johnson in West Palm Beach. A pre-trial detention hearing is scheduled for September 21, 2011 at 10 am. The arraignment is set for October 5, 2011 at 10:00 am.

More specifically, the complaint charges Herrera with the Aug. 24, 2011 assault on three Deputy U.S. Marshals. According to the complaint, Herrera, who was a fugitive on a Miami-Dade County warrant, was spotted by the U.S. Marshals in Boynton Beach as he entered a car parked in an apartment complex. After the U.S. Marshals identified themselves to Herrera, Herrera pulled out a hand gun and began to fire at the U.S. Marshals, who returned fire. The defendant attempted to flee, driving his car out of the parking lot while exchanging gunfire with the U.S. Marshals. Ultimately, the defendant crashed his car into a fence at a nearby school and was taken into custody.

If convicted, Herrera faces a maximum of up to 20 years in prison on each of the three counts of assaulting a Deputy U.S. Marshal.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Waters.

A complaint is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Attachments:
Complaint (PDF)

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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.