The search for a married couple suspected of setting arson fires during the protests and riots that followed George Floyd's death has led federal agents to Texas, where on Thursday they charged a relative with helping the couple evade authorities.
Texas man charged with helping couple suspected of St. Paul arsons to evade authorities
Authorities say that Jose Felan Jr. and his wife, Mena Dyaha Yousif, may have fled to Mexico.
July 23, 2020 at 11:27PM
Leeroy Felan, 29, was arrested by deputy U.S. marshals in Carrizo Springs, Texas, on Tuesday, and a federal indictment unsealed Thursday charges him with lying to authorities and helping to transport his brother Jose Felan Jr. and his sister-in-law, Mena Dyaha Yousif, to help them escape.
Leeroy Felan is on federal supervised release for a 2015 conviction of one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, a crime for which he was sentenced to 36 months in prison. He will appear in federal court in Del Rio, Tex., July 31 for a preliminary hearing, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
His brother and sister-in-law remain at large, and a reward from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their capture now stands at $10,000 each. Jose Felan Jr., 33, was captured on surveillance videos setting fires on May 28 at several locations in St. Paul, including Gordon Parks High School and a Goodwill retail store, according to the Justice Department.
Jose Felan Jr. has a criminal record that includes drug offenses, burglary and aggravated assault, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Authorities said the couple may have fled to Mexico. Yousif appears to be pregnant and changes her appearance, according to authorities.
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