PHILADELPHIA — A Reading man was sentenced in court today for the attempted killing of three FBI agents.
According to the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Rafael Vega-Rodriquez, 42, was sentenced Wednesday, July 24, to 45 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a $4,500 fine and an $800 special assessment for shooting at and attempting to kill three FBI special agents.
In February, Vega-Rodriguez was convicted at trial of three counts of attempted murder of a federal law enforcement officer, three counts of assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two related firearms charges.
On March 1, 2020, FBI agents were conducting surveillance in Reading while looking for Vega-Rodriguez, who was the subject of an active state arrest warrant for a parole violation. At 11:45 p.m., agents spotted Vega-Rodriguez walking with a second individual.
When agents attempted to stop and arrest him, Vega-Rodriguez drew a handgun from under his sweatshirt and fired at the agents.
According to the DA's Office, Vega-Rodriguez continued to shoot as he fled the scene with the individual. In total, he fired four rounds at the agents.
After an intense manhunt, investigators discovered that Vega-Rodriguez had fled to Leola. In the early morning hours of March 3, 2020, FBI agents and troopers with the Pennsylvania State Police located Vega-Rodriguez, who was hiding in a home and arrested him.
“Rafael Vega-Rodriguez tried to murder three FBI agents doing their job, which, on that day, was to effect his lawful arrest,” said United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “He’s proven himself to be a violent, dangerous man, a threat not just to law enforcement, but the community, as well. We’re all safer with him behind bars and today’s sentence ensures that’s exactly where he’ll spend the next several decades of his life.”
“The FBI does not tolerate acts of violence against anyone, let alone against our own,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Each and every day, FBI agents place themselves in harm’s way to protect their fellow citizens. Today’s sentencing makes it clear that we will stop at nothing to bring to justice those who commit an act of violence against federal agents.”
