Somerville Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Two Federal Officers

BOSTON - A Somerville man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to assaulting two federal officers.

Jessi Tombari, 34, pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with assaulting two federal officers. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2019. Tombari has been in custody since his arrest in April 2018.

On the afternoon of April 23, 2018, an individual, later identified as Tombari, approached a uniformed member of the Federal Protective Service, who was on routine patrol outside of the Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston. Tombari asked the officer if he had a weapon, and then attempted to take the weapon from the officer. An altercation ensued, and a Deputy United States Marshal, who was also on routine patrol, interceded and eventually the two officers were able to place Tombari into custody.

Tombari faces a sentence of up to eight years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Timothy Bane, Regional Director, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service; and John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine is prosecuting the case.