Federal prosecutors have charged four people involved in the May 30th rioting in downtown Rochester with arson after their investigation into the violence that followed a Black Lives Matter rally.
All four are already facing charges from the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office after being identified from social media posts and video of the disturbances in which cars were overturned and burned and a construction trailer was destroyed.
Thousands had marched through downtown in protest at the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Following their peaceful demonstration, others moved in and unleashed chaos.
Charged were Marquis Fraiser, who admitted setting fire to the construction trailer, as well as Dysheika Mcfadden, Miguel Ramos and Mackenzie Drechsler. Three are from Rochester and one from Wayne County.
U.S. Attorney James Kennedy Jr said these actions “are not part of any righteous crusade” but are “plain and simple criminal acts.”