Tampa Man Indicted For Attempting To Enter MacDill Air Force Base With AR-15 Rifle And 125 Rounds Of Ammunition

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Baruch Roche II (33, Tampa) with one count of attempted possession of a firearm in a federal facility. If convicted, Roche faces a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Roche that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition that were used to facilitate the offense.

According to the indictment and criminal complaint, on November 3, 2023, Roche attempted to enter MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa in his vehicle. U.S. Air Force security personnel stopped him at the gate and asked for identification. Roche refused to provide it. Roche instead identified himself as “Captain America” and demanded entry, stating that he had a meeting with a General of the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to provide top secret information. Roche became argumentative and threatened to come back every day to look for the officers denying him entry. Due to his suspicious behavior, Roche was detained and security personnel searched his vehicle. An AR-15 rifle was located in the trunk, as well as five magazines loaded with 125 rounds of ammunition.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Air Force Security Forces, the Tampa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.