Tucson, Ariz.- On October 2, 2025, a Pima County Grand Jury indicted Joe Michael Quarnberg and Kevin Silary with a felony charge of riot in reference to events that happened at an ICE facility during a protest on June 11, 2025, in Tucson. In response to the Grand Jury decision, County Attorney Laura Conover has released the following statement:
“As always, the rules prevent me from commenting on the specific facts of a pending case. The two men in question are presumed innocent unless proven guilty, and they have a right to contest the grand jury’s indictment. Generally speaking, as your County Attorney, I will always fight for the community’s rights to peaceful protest and free speech. Pima County has held dozens of respectful and powerful demonstrations in the last several months. Many of those large rallies had not a single reported act of violence, despite the presence of thousands of community members raising their voices in defense of American Democracy and the US Constitution itself.
I will always stay focused on community safety. Going forward, any evidence of unlawful excessive force, disturbing the peace of the community, or endangering peaceful protestors presented to us will be carefully reviewed for potential accountability.
Our best response to federal overreach is organized, peaceful solidarity. This is what makes us Pima County.”
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover
Media Contact: Shawndrea Thomas
Director of Communications
Pima County Attorney’s Office
(520) 724-5738 (Office)
(520) 310-4720 (Mobile)
Shawndrea.Thomas@pcao.pima.gov
