Columbus woman aided fugitive who shot at FBI, feds say
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A federal grand jury has indicted a Columbus woman on charges she aided a suspect the FBI was hunting after he allegedly shot at an agent here.
Derijuana Porter, 20, is accused of helping Joshuia Johnathon Luke Brown, 24, evade authorities who were seeking him in the July 28 assault, according to the indictment. Brown and a second suspect, Jarvis Smith, 27, have since been captured.
According the indictment, Porter is charged with:
- Giving Brown a ride to another city to avoid capture, for which she faces up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine, if convicted.
- Falsely telling agents she took Brown to specific addresses in Columbus and Phenix City, for which she faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, if convicted.
- Giving agents a fake telephone number for Brown, for which she faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, if convicted.
- Possessing a Smith & Wesson 5.56 mm rifle transported through interstate commerce, “having reasonable cause to believe the firearm was stolen.” She faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted on that.
Federal authorities have released few details on the shooting, which they say remains under investigation.
They’ve said Brown and Smith were involved in “the firing of multiple rounds at an FBI agent” in Columbus, but they have not said where and when the shooting occurred.
The two were indicted Aug. 9 on charges of forcible assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Smith also faces one count of being a convicted felon with a firearm.
Each man faces life in prison if convicted, the feds said.
Their indictment alleges the men had three guns, two Glock pistols and a Smith & Wesson automatic, while assaulting an FBI special agent “engaged in her official duties.”
Smith, the convicted felon, had the Smith & Wesson and one of the Glocks, the document says.