Video Transcript

Good afternoon. I want to thank General Uthmeier for his leadership, for his dedication to public service, and for standing with law enforcement. I want my presence here today to underscore the deep partnership between the FBI and the Florida Attorney General's office. General Uthmeier is a leader who has the courage to pursue justice and hold violent offenders accountable despite the previous administration's decision to put those same violent criminals back into your communities.

This is not my first trip to Florida, and I hope it won't be my last, because this state stands with law enforcement. The state stands with the brave men and women who put the badge on every day and risk their lives to keep these communities safe. That commitment to public safety is embodied in the action General Uthmeier is taking on this case. In 2023, the FBI led the investigation into this violent offender and working alongside our state and local partners. We brought federal charges to ensure that he would be held accountable for his crimes. But after those charges were brought and after justice was secured, the previous administration violated the sanctity of the rule of law by allowing unelected staffers to exert unconstitutional authority to betray the very people they were charged with protecting.

This broken promise set loose a violent offender on your streets. And the shocking reality is, while the former president slept, unelected staffers abused the autopen in similar circumstances to let loose convicted criminals in communities across the nation. Today, the FBI is standing shoulder to shoulder with the state of Florida to keep the promise that others have chosen to break.

This offender has an appalling violent criminal history, including 16 felony charges and seven felony convictions. His criminal history includes possession of cocaine with the intent to sell, multiple charges for possession with intent to manufacture and deliver controlled substances, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of methamphetamine, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer resulting in bodily harm or disability.

The FBI did its job. Our state partners did theirs. And today, working together once again, we are ensuring that this violent offender is held accountable and that the people of Florida receive the justice and the safety that they deserve. As a former prosecutor, former attorney general of the state of Missouri, and now as deputy director of the FBI, I've spent my career working alongside leaders like General Uthmeier. He and I served together in the pursuit of justice. And through this case, that partnership continues. This FBI, under the leadership of Director Patel, will seek every avenue, whether it be federal, state, or local to hold violent offenders accountable and protect innocent victims. Fighting violent crime is the cornerstone of the FBI, as underscored by Director Patel's prioritization of this effort.

The FBI’s presence in Florida is strong. Our three field offices are fully integrated with state and local law enforcement to secure safer streets and restore the justice that criminals steal from their victims and their families. While an electronic signature applied under questionable circumstances may have freed a violent offender with no regard for the safety of Florida's communities, Attorney General Uthmeier took action.

This case sends a clear message. Violent offenders will never escape justice. It is my sincere hope that other states will follow the example set here today, and have the courage to bring state charges against those who seek to avoid justice by exploiting unelected bureaucrats’ abuse of constitutional authority that the people never gave to them. Let there be no mistake. Through these partnerships, we prioritize protecting victims and the safety of communities, not criminals.

Because this is also about every victim who is forced to relive their trauma because of the previous administration’s gross negligence. It's about every family who was denied justice and is serving a life sentence of pain. And it's about ensuring that the rule of law, not reckless and unconstitutional actions, guide our decisions. This FBI will not rest until every victim sees the full weight of the American justice system bearing down on those who thought that they were above the rule of law. Thank you.