bouncy ball

From Lawenforcementtoday.com

By Chris Elliot|September 28, 2020|Featured, News [edited for brevity]

Homeland Security Investigations authored a federal arrest affidavit for Nicholas Joseph Bantista, from Illinois, for taking part in a protest on September 25th. In the complaint, it is alleged that Bantista assaulted a federal agent by throwing a rock at them.

Federal agents were stationed in front of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office protecting it from rioters and looters.  While one was on patrol, Bantista, allegedly, armed himself with a rock and threw it at the agent, striking him in the helmet.

While Bantista was being placed under arrest, federal agents reported finding an airsoft replica gun [looked real] from his person.

He claimed that he threw some type of bouncy ball at the agent.

Natalie Wight, an Assistant US Attorney, informed a federal judge that Bantista was currently staying in a tent in the city of Portland.  He had been there for less than a week, and according to the Oregonian, she alleged that he had only come to the city “to wreak havoc during these riots.”

Bantista is familiar with the legal system as he is already on probation out of Illinois for assaulting a police officer. In that instance, he was convicted of aggravated assault with a firearm for waving a gun and telling police that he would fire it if they did not shoot him.

Despite [public defender] Francesconi’s claims, US Magistrate Judge Youlee Yim You sided with the prosecution on this case for now.