An Ohio man, Larry Leon Dwight Wiley, 55, has been charged with assaulting a federal officer after an incident on October 15 in Cleveland. According to a criminal complaint, Wiley barricaded himself in his apartment for several hours when members of the U.S. Marshals Service arrived to execute an arrest warrant related to a previous federal law violation. As officers entered the unit, Wiley fired at them, striking a deputy U.S. Marshal in the arm with a .380 caliber round. The injured officer was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Wiley appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer Dowdell Armstrong on October 16 and was ordered held in custody while the case proceeds. United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio made the motion for detention.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi commented on the incident: “Law enforcement officers risk everything to protect us, and this case is a stark reminder of the dangers they face in the line of duty,” she said. “I am grateful that our deputy U.S. Marshal will make a full recovery and I will ensure that this heinous crime is prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Any attack on law enforcement is an attack on our society itself.”
U.S. Attorney Toepfer added: “An assault on federal law enforcement is an assault against society. We will aggressively prosecute anyone who harms a federal law enforcement officer who is pursuing the mission of protecting the public,” he said. “I would like to thank the Cleveland Police Department, FBI, and ATF for their rapid response to this situation. I also commend the officers on scene who quickly rendered first aid to their wounded colleague.”
FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen emphasized interagency cooperation: “The swift and decisive actions by the United States Marshals Service, Cleveland Division of Police, ATF, and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office to prevent additional harm to the people in the community underscores the collaboration and partnership among our local, state, and federal agencies,” he said. “We are united in our resolve to take the most dangerous criminals and repeat offenders off the streets and keep our neighborhoods safe places to live and work. The FBI will conduct a thorough investigation into the assault of a federal officer and ensure justice is served.”
Wiley faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon; sentencing would depend on factors such as prior criminal record and specifics of this case.
The investigation involves multiple agencies including FBI Cleveland Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Cleveland Division of Police, with assistance from Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Sweeney, Scott Zarzycki, and James P. Lewis are leading prosecution efforts.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation; Wiley remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
