KANSAS CITY, Mo. – David M. Ketchmark, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Mo., man has been charged in federal court with threatening and assaulting federal employees after he threatened workers at a local Social Security office and fought with Federal Protective Service (FPS) security officers.

Leonard C. Williams, 45, of Kansas City, was charged in a two-count criminal complaint that was filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. Williams had his initial court appearance today and remains in federal custody.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Williams entered the Social Security Administration office at 2021 Independence Ave., Kansas City, at about 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012. Williams was upset about a letter he had received and repeatedly told an employee that he would return with a gun, the affidavit says, at which time the employee motioned to the FPS officers.

FPS officers attempted to handcuff Williams and he became extremely combative, the affidavit says. Williams allegedly shoved one of the officers toward the wall then intentionally struck him with a closed fist, causing a cut and bleeding from his face. Williams then wrestled with the officer and two more security officers, according to the affidavit, violently kicking at the officers until one of them deployed pepper spray and they were able to subdue Williams until Kansas City police officers and additional FPS officers arrived.

As a result of Williams’ actions, the Social Security office was shut down for the remainder of the afternoon of Aug. 1, 2012, and was closed the entire next day.

Ketchmark cautioned that the charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Davids and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Hoey. It was investigated by the Federal Protective Service and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

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