A 21-year-old Seattle woman has been indicted on federal charges in the January shooting death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Vermont, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.
A grand jury in the District of Vermont returned a four-count superseding indictment against Teresa Youngblut, charging her with murder, assault on two additional Border Patrol agents with a deadly weapon, and firearms offenses.
According to court documents, the shooting happened Jan. 20 on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont.
A Border Patrol agent had pulled over a Toyota Prius carrying Youngblut and a male German citizen whose immigration status was in question.
Prosecutors allege that both were armed during the stop. Youngblut allegedly got out of the vehicle and opened fire without warning, killing the agent.
Authorities say the agent killed in the line of duty was identified as Border Patrol Agent Maland.
“We will not stand for such attacks on the men and women who protect our communities and our borders,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti said in a statement.
The Justice Department said the investigation revealed that days before the shooting, a hotel employee had reported Youngblut and her companion for wearing tactical gear and appearing armed.
On the same day as the shooting, police had observed the pair in a Newport, Vermont, parking lot, where the German citizen was seen wrapping unknown objects in aluminum foil.
If convicted, Youngblut faces a maximum penalty of death.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi has authorized federal prosecutors to pursue capital punishment.
An indictment is an allegation, and Youngblut is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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