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| Patrick J. Fitzgerald United States Attorney |
Federal Building 219 South Dearborn Street, Fifth Floor Chicago, Illinois 60604 (312) 353-5300 |
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JANUARY 4, 2007 www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln |
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(312)353-4307 |
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FEDERAL GRAND JURY INDICTS ROCKFORD, ILL. MAN IN FOILED PLAN TO SET OFF GRENADES IN ROCKFORD SHOPPING MALL
CHICAGO - A Rockford, Ill., man, who was arrested last month and charged
with allegedly planning to set off several grenades in garbage cans at
a shopping mall in Rockford, was formally indicted today on the same charges,
federal authorities announced.
The defendant, Derrick Shareef, was arrested on Dec. 6, 2006 by agents of the FBI-led Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) when he met with an undercover agent at a store parking lot in Rockford to trade a set of stereo speakers for four hand grenades and a hand gun.
A federal grand jury in Chicago today returned a two-count indictment charging Shareef with one count of attempting to damage or destroy a building by fire or explosion and one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, announced Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Patrick J. Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Those are the same charges that were brought against Shareef in a criminal complaint at the time of his arrest.
Shareef, 22, of Rockford, will be arraigned in U.S. District Court on a date yet to be determined. He remains in federal custody without bond after waiving his right to a detention hearing on Dec. 20, 2006.
At the time of his arrest, authorities said there was no imminent risk of harm once the threat allegedly posed by Shareef was detected by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the charges allege that he was acting alone.
According to the indictment, Shareef allegedly planned to set off grenades at the CherryVale Shopping Mall. The mall is located near the junction of Interstate 90 and Interstate 39 on the east side of Rockford, about 90 miles west of Chicago. The mall, which has approximately 130 retail stores, is owned by CBL & Associates Properties, Inc., based in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The mall was among several potential targets that Shareef allegedly discussed during the course of the investigation - the others were primarily local government facilities. At all times Shareef allegedly was acting on his plan between November 29, 2006, and December 6, 2006, Shareef was in contact with only an acquaintance, who unbeknownst to him was cooperating with the FBI, and an undercover agent who was posing as the cooperating individual's friend.
The Chicago FBI's JTTF is comprised of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies from throughout the Northern District of Illinois, all of whom contributed to the investigation.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jake Ryan and Victoria J. Peters.
If convicted, the building arson or explosion count carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years, and the attempting to use weapons of mass destruction count carries a maximum of life in prison, and both counts carry a maximum fine of $250,000 fine. Note, however, that the Court would determine the appropriate sentence to be imposed.
The public is reminded
that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt.
The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at
which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable
doubt.
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