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FBI Arrests Two Pennsylvania Men Charged With Aiding Cleveland Riots

Cleveland Chief of Police Calvin Williams, Mayor Frank Jackson and U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said Friday the city and federal government continue to investigate Saturday's protest. [Matthew Richmond / ideastream]
photo of calvin williams, frank jackson and justin herdman

The FBI on Friday arrested two out-of-state men, accusing them of bringing weapons and flammable materials to Saturday鈥檚 protest in Downtown Cleveland.

According to the Bureau鈥檚 Cleveland office, agents arrested Brandon Long and Devon Poland in Erie, Pennsylvania Friday morning. The pair were stopped Downtown on the night of the protests by Cleveland police officers after the curfew was put in place.

Their car was searched and police found a legally owned handgun, bullets, liquid fire starter, a hammer and a bottle of alcohol that officers believed was stolen during the looting that night.

The arrest warrant was partly based on the Facebook messages obtained after the FBI later got a search warrant for Long and Poland鈥檚 phones.

鈥淣one of the messages exchanged between Mr. Poland and Mr. Long mentioned how their travel to Cleveland was to memorialize and honor the memory of George Floyd,鈥 said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith. 鈥淭he sole aim was to fan the literal flames of rioters because, and I quote from their messages, 鈥業t鈥檚 a once-in-a-lifetime thing.鈥欌

The pair is charged with transporting a weapon to use in civil disorder, conspiring to set a fire as part of a felony and using a telecommunications device to plan or assist a riot.

It鈥檚 not clear why they were not arrested on Saturday night for breaking curfew. There are no charges filed against them in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, according to the online docket. Cleveland police have not responded to ideastream鈥檚 request for information.

According to the affidavit, Long and Poland did not appear to be involved in planning any violence, the decision to come to Cleveland was last minute:

a. At approximately 5:17 p.m., ALTHOF LONG messaged POLAND asking, in sum and substance 鈥淲anna go to Pittsburgh and watch the riots;鈥

b. At approximately 5:19 p.m., POLAND replied, in sum and substance, 鈥淚s there actually riots? IK (I know) philly is wilding;鈥

c. At approximately 5:20 p.m., ALTHOF LONG messaged POLAND, in sum and substance, 鈥淭hey lit it on fire lmao (laugh my a** off);鈥

d. At approximately 5:24 p.m. POLAND responded, in sum and substance, 鈥淚 wanna s**t kinda but my future wife needs me;鈥

e. At approximately 5:25 p.m., ALTHOF LONG responded, in sum and substance, 鈥淭his is a once in a life time thing you can witness and maybe participate in;鈥

f. At approximately 5:25 p.m., ALTHOF LONG posted to POLAND, in sum and substance 鈥淥r tell her you gotta go overthrow the govt first;鈥

g. At approximately 6:10 p.m. and 6:11 p.m., ALTHOF LONG wrote to POLAND, in sum and substance, 鈥淯nless things change. Cleveland seems like a better spot to riot watch. Police shooting teargas and flash bangs, Pittsburgh hasn鈥檛 had much of that;鈥

h. At approximately 7:09 p.m. ALTHOF LONG messages POLAND about buying supplies for their travel to Clevleand, he asked if POLAND wanted goggles, POLAND replied 鈥淵es,鈥 and also asked for 鈥渁 bandana鈥 and a 鈥渂ackpack;鈥

i. At approximately 7:10 p.m. POLAND messaged ALTHOF LONG asking, in sum and substance, 鈥淪hould we bring Molotov supplies?鈥

j. At approximately 7:17 p.m. ALTHOF LONG responded, in sum and substance, "Sadly enough I think I have everything needed for a Molotov in my car. Like normally;鈥

k. At approximately 7:48 p.m. and 7:49 p.m. POLAND wrote ALTHOF LONG stating, in sum and substance, 鈥淧ittsburgh is s**t down,鈥 and 鈥淭he city is blocked shut bro;鈥

l. At approximately 7:50 p.m. and 7:56 p.m. ALTHOF LONG responded, stating, in sum and substance, 鈥淐leveland is more lit anyway,鈥 and 鈥淎nd if not Pittsburgh then we can hit Cleveland OH.鈥

According to FBI Agent Smith, there is no evidence that Long or Poland started any of Saturday鈥檚 fires in Downtown Cleveland.

The investigation is ongoing and the FBI has several more ongoing investigations into Saturday鈥檚 protest, Smith said.

The City of Cleveland鈥檚 anti-terrorism unit was involved in the investigation, said Cleveland Chief of Police Calvin Williams and Mayor Frank Jackson, who were part of the FBI鈥檚 press conference Friday.

鈥淭he work is just starting,鈥 said Williams. 鈥淭here鈥檚 still a lot of folks out there that came here with the intent to tear down our city. We鈥檙e not going to let that happen.鈥

The city arrested five people early Friday morning attempting to break into Progressive Field, Williams said. The group, who are from outside Cuyahoga County, had fire starters, extinguishers and were carrying protest signs, he said.

Matthew Richmond is a reporter/producer focused on criminal justice issues at 海角破解版.