Man with "boogaloo" ties gets life in prison for 2020 Oakland federal officer's killing
OAKLAND – A man with ties to the "boogaloo" extremist movement who was convicted for his role in the 2020 killing of a federal security officer in Oakland was sentenced to life in federal prison.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, 34-year-old Robert Justus Jr. of Millbrae received the sentence Friday. Justus was convicted last year of aiding and abetting a murder and aiding and abetting an attempted murder in the shooting that killed Federal Protective Service Officer David Patrick Underwood.
"With this sentence, the Justice Department has ensured that both of the defendants responsible for brutally murdering a law enforcement officer and seriously wounding another are held accountable for their heinous crimes," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. "Law enforcement officers serve their communities at great risk to themselves, and anyone who targets these brave men and women will be met with the full force of the Justice Department."
According to prosecutors, Justus along with Stephen Carrillo of Ben Lomond were followers of the anti-government "boogaloo" movement.
In the wake of anti-police brutality protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd in 2020, prosecutors said the pair teamed up to plot an attack with the hope it would spark more anti-government violence.
On the night of May 29, 2020, Justus drove Carrillo to downtown Oakland, as hundreds marched to protest Floyd's killing. As they drove by the Federal Building in Oakland, Carrillo shot multiple rounds at the guard post with a homemade AR-15 rifle, killing Underwood and seriously injuring his partner.
The shooting set off an eight-day manhunt, where prosecutors said Justus destroyed evidence in the case, posted anti-law enforcement content on Facebook and corresponded with Carrillo about meeting in the future.
Before being captured, Carrillo ambushed sheriff's deputies in Santa Cruz County, killing Sheriff Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller.
Carrillo pled guilty to Underwood's death in 2022 and was sentenced to 41 years in federal prison. He also pled guilty in the killing of Gutzwiller and was sentenced to life in state prison without parole in that case.
During his trial, Justus testified in his own defense. He sought to portray himself as an unwilling participant and said Carrillo had forced him into the plot at gunpoint, according to the Bay Area News Group. Prosecutors, however, said Justus had opportunities to escape but didn't, showing his willingness to be included in the plan.
"The loss of Mr. Underwood to his family, friends, and the community is incalculable, and the wounding of the second officer has permanently altered his life and that of his family," Northern California U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey said. "Today's sentence punishes this heinous conduct and signals any like-minded individuals who would attack those guarding our courts and other public institutions that we will find and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law."
