Colorado Man Charged with Attempting to Murder Five Deputy US Marshals in Vero Beach

MIAMI - A grand jury in the Southern District of Florida has returned an indictment charging a Colorado man with attempting to murder five Deputy U.S. Marshals who were trying to arrest him in Vero Beach.

According to court records, Thomas Earl Steffens, 72, of Grand Junction, Colorado, was wanted on an arrest warrant in Colorado when he traveled by bus to Vero Beach. Members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force tracked Steffens to Vero Beach on March 2. As the Deputy U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force moved to arrest him, Steffens allegedly opened fire, striking one deputy in the chest and leg. The deputies returned fire, and Steffens was taken into custody.

Steffens is charged with five counts of attempted murder of a federal officer, five counts of aggravated assault of a federal officer, and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Hoover and William C. Long are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., under case number 26-cr-14054.

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