Jacob Fagundo Pleads Guilty To Setting Chicago Police Car On Fire During Civil Unrest Downtown In May
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man pleaded guilty Thursday to throwing a lit firework into a Chicago Police vehicle during civil unrest in downtown Chicago last May.
Jacob Fagundo, 23, of Rogers Park, pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with a law enforcement officer during the commission of a civil disorder. He could faceup to five years in prison when he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman on July 14.
Fagundo admitted in a plea agreement that on Saturday, May 30 – during civil unrest downtown following protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police – he and others walked up to an unoccupied Chicago Police squad car in a garage at 30 E. Kinzie St. in River North. They shattered with windshield of the squad car and threw a lit firework inside, prosecutors said.
The police vehicle burst into flames, and the Fire Department had to be called to put out the fire.
Chicago Police officers had parked the squad car in the garage while on duty during the civil unrest, prosecutors said.
Fagundo also admitted to spray-painting another police vehicle earlier in the day, prosecutors said.
Fagundo admitted he bought the fireworks, lighter fluid, and other items a day earlier at a Chicago department store to bring downtown during the protests, prosecutors said.