U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi waded into the highly controversial savage beating of a white Cincinnati man last week by several black attackers with the threat of substantial new charges. One man already charged over the July 26 mob attack now faces up to 15 years in prison after being hit by the feds with a gun charge.
The Justice Department announced Wednesday that 34-year-old Montanez Merriweather has been indicted for unlawful firearm possession as a convicted felon. Merriweather had previously been arrested in connection with the assault of a man and a woman in an incident that went viral on video.
“There is no place for violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick Gerace II. “Those who commit violent acts can expect to be scrutinized, and they will be held accountable for violations of federal criminal law.” Merriweather is also facing local charges of assault, felonious assault, and aggravated rioting, which together carry a potential sentence of nearly 30 years in prison.
“Violence, in any form and under any circumstance, has no place in a civilized society. When warranted, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, in close coordination with our law enforcement partners, will employ the full extent of our legal authority and resources to identify, apprehend, and remove violent offenders from our communities,” added ATF special agent Thomas Greco.
Video of the attack shows a white man being slammed to the ground and beaten by a group of black individuals outside a music festival. After the man managed to get up, a white woman was struck in the face and appeared to be knocked unconscious. The footage spread rapidly online, drawing condemnation from both state and national leaders.
Following the outcry, Attorney General Pam Bondi directed the FBI to open an investigation. The move came after Vice President JD Vance denounced the assault and called for the attackers to be imprisoned.
“What I saw, and I haven’t seen the full context, but what I saw is a mob of lawless thugs beating up on an innocent person, and it’s disgusting,” Vance said. “And I hope every single one of those people who engaged in violence is prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And they will be. They will be so long as law enforcement in the state of Ohio takes their job seriously.”
