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Dorchester Man Charged With Firing At Officers Hours After Protest Agrees To Plead Guilty

A Dorchester man accused of firing at officers hours after a racial justice protest in Boston this summer will plead guilty to federal charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

John Boampong, 37, was arrested in the early morning of June 1, six hours after protests against police brutality ended near the Massachusetts State House. Police flooded the area within minutes of the protest ending, leading to clashes with protesters and others.

Prosecutors said around 3 a.m. that night, Boampong was driving with three others near Boylston and Arlington streets, where officers had responded to deal with the looting of stores.

Officers told Boampong to leave the area, and they allege those in the car became "verbally combative." When he drove away, they say they heard gunshots coming from near his car. Ballistics showed they were fired from Boampong's gun. Nobody was injured.

According to the plea agreement, Boampong will plead guilty within the next two weeks to three counts: interfering with a law enforcement officer during the commission of a civil disorder; illegal possession of a firearm; and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon.

One of the Boston police officers Boampong allegedly fired at is on the FBI's Metro Boston Gang Task Force, leading to the federal charges.

According to the plea, prosecutors and Boampong agreed he should spend between three-and-a-half years to five years and three months in prison. The judge in the case will have the final say. He faced up to 20 years in prison on the most serious count of assaulting a federal officer.

State charges against Boampong were dropped after he was charged in federal court.

Boampong is being held at the Wyatt Detention Center in Rhode Island.

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Headshot of Ally Jarmanning

Ally Jarmanning Senior Reporter
Ally is a senior reporter focused on criminal justice and police accountability.

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