CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Miguel Ramos, 21, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of rioting for his role in violent protests held in the City of Rochester in May 2020, was sentenced to serve 16 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. Ramos was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $4,287 to the City of Rochester.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie M. Kocher, who handled the case stated that on May 30, 2020, Rochester Police Department (RPD) officers were assigned to assist with crowd control during protests scheduled at the Public Safety Building (PSB) on Exchange Boulevard. During the late afternoon/early evening, those protests, being held in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, turned violent and resulted in vandalism, damaged property, looting, and fires.
During the course of the protests, Ramos and others set fire to a marked Rochester Police Department patrol vehicle parked in front of the Public Safety Building. The burning of the RPD car, which was completely destroyed, was broadcast, and recorded on Facebook Live, which streamed the burning online in real time. Ramos also took photographs of himself at the riot and sent those photographs to others via text message to encourage them to participate in the riot.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Interim Chief David Smith; the Gates Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Long; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Barry Chase; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley; the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team, under the direction of Lieutenant Robert Hill; and the Rochester Fire Department, under the direction of Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez Jr.
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