ATLANTA — Two people accused of committing arson during protests of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center now face federal charges.
In addition, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr re-indicted the same two people, adding a third, he announced June 11.
“The law does not protect, and the Department of Justice will not tolerate, organized acts of violence or targeted intimidation,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Criminal agitators who travel to this district to engage in such conduct will be prosecuted and held accountable, even years after the fact.”
Katie Marie Kloth, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Tyler John Norman, of Blue Mountain, Wisconsin, are accused of damaging property belonging to Brasfield & Gorrie, the contractor building the training center, with fire and explosives in an effort to intimidate the company’s employees.
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In Fulton County, Kloth and Norman were previously charged for violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
A Cobb County Grand Jury indicted Kloth, Norman and Hannah Kass, 33, of Philadelphia, Carr announced June 11.
The three face two counts of criminal damage to property in the second degree and one count of arson of lands.
“When it comes to fighting Antifa and keeping people safe, we won’t back down,” Carr said in a news release announcing the indictment. “This isn’t Portland or Seattle. If you come to our state and engage in violence, threaten private businesses and damage property, you will be identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Carr previously indicted Kloth, Norman and 59 other defendants in a sprawling RICO case related to protests and criminal activities in opposition to the training center, but a judge threw the case out in December.
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Carr earlier promised new action to prosecute the dozens of defendants he’d indicted but the appeal is still underway and has not been decided.
“This indictment represents our continued commitment to work alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Georgia and our local, state, and federal partners to protect the citizens of Georgia,” said Chris Hosey, Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “The criminal acts of these individuals have repeatedly placed members of the community, construction personnel, and public safety officials in danger. Acts of violence and intimidation will not be tolerated in our state.”
Prosecutors say Kloth and Norman were indicted by a federal grand jury on June 9, accused of “maliciously damaging or attempting to damage property used in interstate commerce by means of fire and an explosive.”
The grand jury also charged both Kloth and Norman with using explosives and fire to intimidate the Brasfield & Gorrie employees during and incident to civil disorder.
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