The U.S. District Attorney's Office on Wednesday announced federal charges against a man who was caught on camera assaulting a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy, then robbing her and firing his own gun at her.
Ari Aki Young, 26, was charged with possession of a stolen weapon and discharging a weapon during a violent crime, among other offenses.
Young had previously been acquitted of the more serious state charges of attempted murder and assault with a weapon in 2023, but was convicted of negligently discharging a gun and sentenced to a year and a half in jail.
“We believe justice was not served in those proceedings and therefore we are filing these federal felony charges,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said at a news conference in Riverside on Wednesday.
The case began on Sept. 4, 2019, when San Bernardino County Sheriff's Deputy Meagan McCarthy, then Meagan Forsberg, responded to a call from a mother reporting a “disturbance” with her son, Young.
Young confronted McCarthy in the driveway, “very, very angry,” the officer said in an interview with ABC-7. As she tried to detain Young, he turned around and wrestled her gun away. She grabbed it from him and opened fire. McCarthy hid behind a bush. Other officers arrived and shot Young multiple times, but he survived.
Federal charges are generally not filed in cases where state charges already apply unless there is substantial government interest, said former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani.
The dual sovereignty doctrine allows two different agencies to bring charges for the same crime without violating the double jeopardy clause of the Fifth Amendment, as long as the crime affects both jurisdictions.
“It didn't go the way they wanted it in the United States,” Rahmani said, which is why prosecutors are filing federal charges.
According to the federal complaint, the gun stolen by Young was the property of the sheriff's department and was manufactured out of state.[The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department] “It has a large budget and tremendous spending power, much of which affects interstate and foreign commerce,” the complaint says.
The charges include violations of the Hobbs Act, which deals with robbery or extortion affecting interstate commerce. Rahmani said adding a Hobbs Act violation to theft of a gun is not normal and could indicate a weakness in the government's defense.
Typically, Hobbs Act cases have stronger ties to interstate commerce, such as using a telephone to extort someone for money, something this case may lack, he said.
“If there is no connection to interstate commerce, they have to dismiss the case,” he said. “It’s overblown.”
Asked during the news conference why the jury previously acquitted Young in the state trial, Estrada said he tries “not to interpret the facts in terms of what a jury is looking at, considering or not considering.”
“When a law enforcement officer is trying to do his job and is instead brutally attacked by an individual,” Estrada said, “it is appropriate that there be federal charges and that we send a message that we will not tolerate this type of behavior.”
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon D. Dicus said during Wednesday’s news conference that he was “shocked” by the verdict against Young and that violence against police officers is on the rise. “Everyone needs to remember that a law enforcement officer can also be a victim,” he said.
During the trial, Young's attorney argued that McCarthy detained him illegally.
Young’s attorney admitted to the jury that he fired McCarthy’s gun but maintained he did not point it at the officer. Young was convicted in 2023 of recklessly discharging a gun but acquitted of the more serious charges of attempted murder of McCarthy and assault with a firearm. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on charges of striking a peace officer, taking an officer’s gun and resisting arrest.
McCarthy told ABC-7 that the verdict left her “in disbelief.” Responding to a call about a possible domestic disturbance, “I would be remiss in my duty if I didn’t investigate,” she said. “I can only do what I can do. I’m a human being, I tried to do my job to help this woman and unfortunately the suspect’s actions dictated the rest.”
