A man from Florida was prosecuted for a federal terrorism charge. He was coughing on and spitting at police officers and he claimed he is infected with COVID-19 according to the report.

Based on court records, a Tampa federal grand jury, on Wednesday, returned an accusation, charging 31-year-old James Jamal Curry, with "perpetrating a biological weapon hoax."

The same records stated that Curry had also been indicted last month, by criminal complaint. He reportedly faces five-year federal imprisonment if sentenced.

Samuel Landes, the suspect's lawyer stated via an email that prosecutors are extending a law intended for terrorists to conceal an ordinary encounter with police. 

He added that "the United States Attorney's stance in this case" would turn each of the now over 5.2 million COVID-19 patients "in possession" of a so-called biological weapon.

Responding to a Domestic Violence Call

The court documents indicated that police officers at St. Petersburg responded on a call specifically regarding domestic violence involving the suspect on March 27.

During his arrest, according to the police, Curry declared he had COVID-19 then, he coughed on the arm of an officer.

The next day, Curry bailed out of jail. Later on, police were again called to the same location where they had arrested the suspect the day before. And, on his second arrest, he spitted multiple times, on an officer, the prosecutors said, "hitting the inner part of his mouth with blood-filled saliva."

For the second time, Curry claimed he had COVID-19, laughed, and declared that he was spreading the infection all over places.

Meanwhile, the authorities had obtained a warrant for the suspect's tests for the virus and the result turned out to be negative.

Serious Offense

While intentionally spitting in public, not to mention, on others, has been regarded as criminal, retribution for such violations, according to law, "will be far more radical because of the threats now postured from the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. 

Essentially, in late April, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen sent the federal law enforcement agencies and the US attorneys a memorandum advising the officials of the Department of Justice to consider indicting specific "purposeful infection or exposure of those with COVID-19" under statutes that are federal-related.

This, reportedly resulted from intelligence which the FBI gathered, indicating "racist extremist group" which include the neo-Nazis, were reportedly urging members who are infected with COVID-19 to spread the virus to Jews and cops.

In an alert obtained by a News outlet, the FBI's New York office reports that "members of extremist groups are encouraging one another to spread the virus, if contracted, through bodily fluids and personal interactions."

In late-March, according to reports, the FBI 's New York office alerted and told the local police departments that extremists want their members to try using spray bottles "to spread bodily fluids to police on the street."

It was also reported that the extremists directed their members to spread the virus to Jews by going to any place they may have an assembly such as the places of worship, political offices, and markets, among others.

The FBI declined to give any comment on the said alert. However, it issued an official statement saying the bureau's field offices had routinely shared information with their respective law enforcement partners to assist in the protection of the communities they are serving. 

Check these out!