Federal prosecutors on Thursday unsealed charges against a Georgia man accused of taking part in a firebombing of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in downtown Atlanta during the unrest of summer 2020, the Department of Justice said.
The complaint names Ronald Scott Watson, 28, of Kennesaw, Georgia, also known to authorities by the names Sarah Watson, Miranda Kyle and Emily Smith, and charges him with arson and destruction of government property in connection with the July 25, 2020 attack. Federal officials say the assault caused roughly $78,000 in damage to the ICE facility. The FBI warned that Watson may be disguising himself in women’s clothing while evading law enforcement.
Court documents describe a demonstration outside the fenced ICE facility just before midnight on July 25, 2020, when a crowd had gathered near the building. Officials say several masked individuals dressed in dark clothing breached the perimeter, vandalized the structure and used rocks, cinder blocks and modified incendiary devices to start fires and cause property damage.
Watson, a convicted felon, was already the subject of a state conviction in January 2023 in Oregon for felony assault of a public safety officer, the DOJ said. The newly unsealed federal charges are part of a broader investigation into attacks on federal facilities during the protests and unrest that swept the nation in the summer of 2020.
The DOJ did not announce an arrest in connection with the federal indictment and described Watson as a fugitive. The FBI bulletin accompanying the unsealed charges included the aliases and the agency’s assessment that he may be concealing his appearance with women’s clothing, a step authorities said could hinder identification.
Federal prosecutors pursue arson and destruction of government property cases to deter attacks on federal facilities and personnel. If convicted of the charges unsealed Thursday, Watson would face penalties under federal law that can include significant prison time and fines; exact sentencing would depend on the specific counts and any prior convictions.
The attack on the Atlanta ICE building came amid nationwide demonstrations and episodes of property destruction in the summer of 2020. Authorities in the years since have pursued investigations into multiple incidents targeting federal facilities and law enforcement officers during that period. The DOJ said it will continue to follow leads and urged anyone with information to contact the FBI.
No further details about Watson’s current whereabouts were released. The case will proceed in federal court once the suspect is apprehended or otherwise brought into custody.