Suspected boogaloo trio get trial dates pushed back months
Suspected Nevada members of the boogaloo movement will not be tried in court for several more months over their roles in an alleged conspiracy to cause violence during Black Lives Matter protests.
Court documents show that the federal trial of Stephen Parshall, 36, Andrew Lynam,23, and William Loomis, 40, has been continued from March 8 to July 12 to give defense lawyers more time to review the government’s evidence.
The June 21 trial of the three men in Clark County District Court also has been continued indefinitely. A judge did not provide a reason for the cancellation, which comes amid a continuing threat of COVID-19.
The three defendants are facing felony charges of conspiring to cause destruction by fire and explosive and possessing an unregistered destructive device, a Molotov cocktail.
They also are facing felony terrorism and explosives charges in the state case.
All three men, who have military backgrounds, have pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and are in federal custody on no bail.
The alleged extremist group members were indicted June 17 by both federal and county grand juries in a rare coordinated effort by law enforcement authorities to curb the protest violence.
The trio also is alleged to have planned to firebomb a power substation and damage federal buildings.
FBI agents arrested the men on May 30 after learning that the defendants were prepared to toss Molotov cocktails at police during a Black Lives Matter demonstration that night.
The extremist right-wing boogaloo movement, which is decentralized with no national leaders, believes in an impending civil war and ultimate societal collapse.
Authorities contend that the group members attempted to carry out their plans as if they were conducting a military operation.
Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564. Follow @JGermanRJ on Twitter. German is a member of the Review-Journal’s investigative team, focusing on reporting that holds leaders and agencies accountable and exposes wrongdoing. Support our journalism.