A former New Iberia police officer who allegedly plotted a terror attack in New Orleans is currently charged with one count of threat by interstate commerce. But Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says many more serious charges are likely forthcoming against Micah Legnon.
“Very well may support charges of attempted terrorism, conspiracy to commit terroristic attacks and other crimes involving firearms and bombs and bomb-making materials,” Ciolino said.
FBI agents arrested the 29-year-old last weekend as he was allegedly loading his vehicle with an assault rifle and body armor. Investigators have linked him to a California-based anti-government group which had been plotting a series of bomb attacks on New Year’s Eve. Ciolino says it will take quite a while before more serious charges are filed, and even longer before an indictment can be handed down.
“Those facts have to be presented to a grand jury, and a grand jury is going to have to return a true bill of indictment against the defendant before any prosecution can go forward,” Ciolino explained.
Ciolino says thanks to modern technology, it’s a lot easier now for the government to make cases like these now than it was several years ago.
“With the government’s ability to subpoena text messages, to get into otherwise encrypted accounts, to search houses, cars, get bank records, credit card records, Google searches,” Ciolino said.
Ciolino says given the nature of the charges Legnon will likely be facing, he will likely not be released anytime soon, due to being a potential threat to the community.
