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Justin Spry, 21, of South Plainfield tried claiming on Twitter that he was brutalized by police, but U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Craig Carpenito said that surveillance video captured him and an accomplice trying to torch the police car Sunday night.
“Law enforcement officers on scene observed Spry as he attempted to ignite the vehicle,” Carpenito said. “Spry noticed the officers and attempted to flee but was arrested.”
The FBI took custody of Spry on Tuesday and charged him with “attempting to damage or destroy by fire a vehicle owned or possessed by an institution receiving federal financial assistance,” as well as “attempting to damage or destroy by fire a vehicle used in and affecting interstate commerce,” the U.S. attorney said.
Spry was scheduled for a first appearance by videoconference Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni.
“The conduct described in the criminal complaint demonstrates a deliberate effort to destroy a police vehicle during a demonstration,” Carpenito said.
“Our office will not hesitate to bring to justice anyone who engages in this kind of destruction,” he added. “We will work with our law enforcement partners to find these violent perpetrators and charge them appropriately.”
Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI and officers with the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Newark, as well as special agents of the FBI’s Hamilton Resident Agency with the investigation leading to Tuesday’s federal arrest.
He also thanked Trenton police, New Jersey State Police and officers with the state Department of Corrections for their assistance.
Handling the case for the government are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Ramey and Michelle Gasparian of Carpenito’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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