Jury Convicts San Francisco Man of Assault

OAKLAND—Yesterday, a federal jury convicted Antonio Chavez of assaulting a private security guard who was assisting a federal officer, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.

The jury found that on December 8, 2012, Chavez assaulted a security guard who was protecting the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building at 1301 Clay Street in Oakland after the guard went to investigate apparent vandalism of the building. The guilty verdict followed a four-day jury trial before the Honorable Phyllis J. Hamilton, United States District Court Judge.

Evidence at trial showed that on December 8, 2012, at about 3 a.m., private security guards noticed on surveillance video a group of six or seven people vandalizing the guard house next to the federal building on the corner of 12th Street and Jefferson Street in Oakland. One of the guards went to the guard house to investigate the vandalism. With the exception of two people, the group dispersed as the guard approached the guard house. As the guard continued his investigation, one of the individuals who remained at the guard house attempted to grab the guard’s flashlight, and a struggle ensued. During that struggle, Chavez attacked the guard with an electric stun gun, striking the guard in the neck and chest and knocking him to the ground. Chavez later brandished and activated the stun gun while threatening the security guard. Chavez was ultimately apprehended later that night by the Oakland Police Department.

Chavez, 21, of San Francisco, was charged by criminal complaint on February 12, 2013, and was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 21, 2013. Chavez was remanded into custody following his conviction.

Chavez’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 26, 2014, before Judge Hamilton, in Oakland. The maximum statutory penalties for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1) and (b) are a prison term of 20 years, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lewis and Special Assistant United States Attorney Manish Kumar prosecuted this case with the assistance of Janice Pagsanjan and Noble Hughes. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Protective Service, the Oakland Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.