Ohio man faces criminal charges for shooting federal marshal

A 55-year-old man was arrested and charged with assaulting a federal officer following an armed standoff on Oct. 15 at a Cleveland apartment, reported a Department of Justice (DOJ) statement.

According to the criminal complaint, Larry Leon Dwight Wiley, a Cleveland resident, barricaded himself in his home for several hours after members of the Federal Marshals Service arrived to execute an arrest warrant for a prior federal law violation.

During the operation, Wiley allegedly pointed and fired at the agents, wounding a deputy federal marshal in the arm with a 380-caliber pistol. The deputy was transported to a nearby hospital, where he received medical attention for his injuries.

Wiley first appeared Oct. 16 before Judge Jennifer Dowdell Armstrong, who ordered him to remain in custody while the case is ongoing, at the request of U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer of the Northern District of Ohio.

"Law enforcement officers risk everything to protect us, and this case is a stark reminder of the dangers they face in the line of duty."Attorney General Pamela Bondi

"Law enforcement officers risk everything to protect us, and this case is a stark reminder of the dangers they face in the line of duty," Attorney General Pam Bondi maintained. She added that she was glad the deputy sheriff is making a full recovery and said, "I will ensure that this heinous crime is prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law."

Toepfer added that his office "will aggressively prosecute anyone who harms a federal law enforcement officer who is pursuing the mission of protecting the public," the DOJ release explained, and thanked the Cleveland Police Department, the FBI and the ATF.

Greg Nelsen, special agent in charge of the FBI in Cleveland, highlighted the cooperation between local, state and federal agencies, "We are united in our resolve to take the most dangerous criminals and repeat offenders off the streets and keep our neighborhoods safe places to live and work."

Wiley faces charges of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon, a crime that could carry up to 20 years in prison. If convicted, the sentence will be determined by the court after considering factors such as his criminal history and the nature of the crime.

The case is being investigated by the Cleveland Division of the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Cleveland Division of Police and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office. The indictment is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret A. Sweeney, Scott Zarzycki and James P. Lewis.