The FBI announced a $1 million reward for help locating four fugitives charged in the 2010 slaying of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, whose death has become central to the Fast and Furious controversy.
The indictment, unsealed Monday, lays out the charges against five defendants charged in Terry’s death along the Arizona-Mexico border.
Brian Terry
Manuel Osorio-Arellanes, Jesus Rosario Favela-Astorga, Ivan Soto-Barraza, Heraclio Osorio-Arellanes and Lionel Portillo-Meza are charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, attempted interference by robbery, use and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, assault on a federal officer and possession of a firearm, according to a Justice Department news release. Rito Osorio-Arellanes is charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, according to a Justice Department news release.
Manuel Osorio-Arellanes and Rito Osorio-Arellanes are already in custody, the department said.
“Agent Terry served his country honorably and made the ultimate sacrifice in trying to protect it from harm, and we will stop at nothing to bring those responsible for his murder to justice,” Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement.
Terry’s death has been linked to the failed Justice Department gun-tracing operation known as Fast and Furious. Two guns that were lost during the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigation were found at the scene of Terry’s death.
The congressional inquiry into the department’s handling of the operation came to a head last month when the House of Representatives voted to find Holder in contempt of Congress. Holder refused to hand over Fast and Furious documents to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, saying their disclosure could harm the integrity of ongoing investigations. House Republicans and committee chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) complained that Holder was merely “stonewalling” the congressional investigation.
The Terry family has been outspoken in its frustration with the Justice Department. They filed a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit against the government in February.
