Month: July 2021

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

Judy Shepard, who with her husband, Dennis, co-founded the Matthew Shepard Foundation to honor their 21-year-old son who was killed in a hate crime in Wyoming in 1998, echoed the sentiment. She said that a better understanding of the gay community—and all marginalized communities—could lead to better communication and reporting.

“There’s a level of ignorance about how to operate in a community you’re unfamiliar with,” Judy Shepard said. “How the tendency may be to actually insult them rather than help them. There are nuances involved in all marginalized communities. All afternoon we’ve been talking about that. And I hope they recognize it, because it’s crucial to the victim’s family, and the victims themselves.”

These are the conversations the Civil Rights Unit hoped would be a starting point toward better understanding among the varied attendees. Ron Reed, chief of the Civil Rights Unit at FBI Headquarters, said giving local police better tools to investigate hate crimes—and a better understanding of federal laws—can pay dividends, even if it’s just learning how to talk to victims.

“It’s not the victim’s job to know what to tell us,” Reed said. “It’s our job as law enforcement to know the right questions to ask to get to the bottom of it.”

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

On the evening of Sunday, July 11, 2021, FBI agents, with the assistance of the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and the Bozeman Yellowstone International Public Safety Office, made a probable cause arrest of Vincent Harry Kopacek, age 76, of Fredericksburg, Texas, on one federal count each of attempted sexual abuse of a minor, abusive sexual contact, and assault within maritime and territorial jurisdiction. Law enforcement detained Kopacek as he checked in for his flight departing the airport in Bozeman.

On July 8, 2021, Kopacek was seated behind a 15-year-old girl on a flight from Austin, Texas, to Bozeman. According to the criminal complaint and court documents, Kopacek inappropriately touched the minor female before and during the flight. The victim documented the alleged abuse with her cell phone. After departing the airport, the victim reported the alleged contact to her family, who alerted authorities.

Kopacek had an initial appearance this morning in U.S. District Court in Missoula.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

The FBI Denver Field Office is aware of the arrest of four individuals at a hotel near the Major League Baseball All-Star Game venue. We are coordinating with the Denver Police Department (DPD) regarding this criminal matter. DPD is the lead investigative agency.

We have no reason to believe this incident was connected to terrorism or a threat directed at the All-Star Game. We are not aware of any threat to the All-Star Game events, venues, players, or the community at this time.

As is the case with many major special events, the FBI works closely with our law enforcement partners in preparation for and in support of public safety during these events.

We continue to encourage the public to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.