Couple Accused Of Arson During May Protests Found In Mexico

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Patch Staff


Federal officials say the Rochester couple are behind a series of fires during last May's protests in St. Paul.

Andy Nguyen, Patch Staff
Verified Patch Staff Badge
Posted Thu, Feb 18, 2021 at 7:38 pm CT

ST. PAUL, MN — A Rochester couple wanted in connection to a series of suspicious fires in St. Paul last May was arrested in Mexico on Monday.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced on Thursday that the U.S. Marshals Service was able to locate and detain Jose Angel Felan Jr. and Mena Dhaya Yousif on immigration violations. The couple had been on the run from law enforcement after they were suspected of setting several fires last May during the George Floyd protests in the Twin Cities metro area, according to a statement from the ATF.

"After [Felan] and [Yousif] fled to Mexico, spending eight months on the run, the U.S. Marshals, along with out counterparts in Mexico, have seen to it that Mr. Felan will now face justice for the heinous arson charges against him," U.S. Marshal Susan Pamerleau said in a statement. "Our deputies were relentless in this fugitive case, refusing to rest until these suspects were found."

U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald said the two will be sent back to Minnesota to stand trial.

Authorities said Felan, 34, was indicted with three counts of vandalism after allegedly setting fire to Gordon Parks High School, a Goodwill store and a 7 Mile Sportswear store on May 28. Yousif, 22, faces one count of being an accessory after the fact.

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Read more: https://patch.com/minnesota/across-mn/s/hfp5d/couple-accused-arson-during-may-protests-found-mexico

[Journeyman]

1. First these two, then Cruz -- we certainly aren't "sending our best" to Mexico . . .

[lagomorph777]

6. DUzy!

[onetexan]

7. LOL good one

[keithbvadu2]

10. from the daily toons

[ancianita]

2. So much for antifa. This case is part of a bigger insurgency problem in MN than we've known.

From MPR News

https://www.mprnews.org/amp/story/2021/02/18/couple-found-in-mexico-after-being-charged-in-connection-with-arson-after-floyds-killing

The two made their initial appearances before a federal magistrate judge in California on Wednesday. The judge ordered them held pending a Feb. 23 detention hearing. A grand jury indicted the couple in July, but the case was kept largely under seal while the search for them was underway.

A third man, Mohamed Hussein Abdi, is also named in the indictment for allegedly helping Felan set fire to the high school.

Felan’s brother Leeroy is charged separately in Texas with lying to investigators to thwart the manhunt. In June, the U.S. Marshal’s Service posted a $20,000 reward for the couple’s capture.

Felan and Yousif are among more than a dozen people whom federal prosecutors have charged with arson in connection with the riots. Dozens of others are facing state-level felony burglary charges in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties for looting.

[Lucky Luciano]

3. Throw the book at them.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Federal LE is impressive

Lots of tracking tools in the modern world.

[RussBLib]

5. So are these people Trumpers?

Or overzealous, misguided lefties?

Months of the right bitching about BLM protests, and would it surprise anyone that provocateurs did the most damage?

[JeaneRaye]

8. I never even considered otherwise.

I believe all the fires and mischief in the BLM riots were caused by Trumpers trying to make others believe that the protesters were causing the damage. Don't you remember "Umbrella Man", dressed all in black, in the Minneapolis protests? Busting out windows at the Autozone and some young guy confronting him about it? Not sure if he was ever caught.

[JeaneRaye]

9. I never even considered otherwise.

I believe all the fires and mischief in the BLM riots were caused by Trumpers trying to make others believe that the protesters were causing the damage. Don't you remember "Umbrella Man", dressed all in black, in the Minneapolis protests? Busting out windows at the Autozone and some young guy confronting him about it? Not sure if he was ever caught.

[Polybius]

11. They don't look it

But ya never know.