Big Bear, CA November 2, 2015 – An Inland Empire man, Richard Latka, 56, of Hemet, was convicted of threatening to kill a Federal Forest Service Officer who came to the man’s home to ask about trash dumped in the San Bernardino National Forest. According to the evidence, the Officer went to Latka’s residence in October 2014 to investigate. The officer encountered Latka who reacted angrily and ran toward the officer with clenched fists. Believing that Latka intended to hit him, the officer drew his Taser gun. Latka stopped running but continued screaming at the officer. The officer tried to remove himself from the situation by getting into his car, but Latka continued to scream at the officer and pounded on the window of the law enforcement vehicle with his fist. The officer drove away, but Latka followed in his own car, yelling “next time you’re dead.”
“Threatening the lives of law enforcement officers will not be tolerated,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. The officer in this case took many steps to de-escalate the situation and prevent it from getting worse. If not for the officer’s professionalism and calm, the defendant’s conduct could have become more violent and dangerous. Sentencing is set for January 25, 2016, at which time Latka will face a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a three-year period of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
