Two men who claim to be part of a group called the Rise of the Moors were found guilty in connection with a long armed standoff off Interstate 95 in Wakefield, Massachusetts, in 2021, the Middlesex District Attorney's Office said Friday.
Jamhal Latimer was convicted on multiple gun charges, including unlawful possession of a large capacity weapon, unlawful possession of a shotgun or rifle and improper storage of a rifle or shotgun near a minor, according to the district attorney's office.
Steven Anthony Perez was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and use or wearing body armor during a felony, authorities said in a release Friday.
"The defendants in this case disrupted multiple communities and jeopardized the safety of many residents who were traveling or intending to travel on a busy Fourth of July weekend," said District Attorney Marian Ryan. "Both Jamhal Tavon Sanders Latimer and Steven Anthony Perez demonstrated a disregard for our laws and failed to comply with the directives of multiple police agencies on scene."
Both men are expected to be sentenced next month.
On July 3, 2021, authorities say Latimer and Perez and two of their cars were found by state police in the breakdown lane of I-95 in Wakefield wearing military style camouflage clothes and body armor.
Latimer was armed with an AR-style large capacity rifle and falsely claimed he was the leader of an armed militia from Rhode Island, the district attorney's office said, and that they were on their way to Maine to "train."
Latimer and Perez were with nine other people, according to police, who Latimer referred to as "his men."
Two of the people were also carrying loaded, large-capacity AR-style riles with large capacity magazines, authorities said.
The trooper then asked the men for their driver's and firearms licenses, and they said they didn't have them, according to police.
When trooper asked Latimer and Perez to put their guns down, they refused, authorities said.
At some point, police say several of the men took off into the woods with their firearms, prompting the standoff. All 11 suspects, including a 17-year-old, were eventually arrested.
Eight guns, including three AR-15s, were seized, according to police, who said none of the suspects had licenses to carry guns.
The group's website describes them as "Moorish Americans dedicated to educating new Moors and influencing our Elders."
