Anibal Hernandez Santana, a 64-year-old Sacramento man, was re-arrested by the FBI last Saturday, mere hours after posting bail for a previous arrest related to a shooting incident at the ABC10 television station. Initially detained on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and other charges, Santana found himself back in custody due to probable cause for violating federal statute 47 USC 333, concerning interference with federally licensed radio communications. The arrest occurred at his River Park neighborhood residence, as reported by KCRA 3.
The shooting took place last Friday at the KXTV building at 400 Broadway in Sacramento. Despite the building being occupied, no injuries resulted from an assailant firing shots from outside, leaving three bullet holes in the lobby's window. Santana posted a $200,000 bail before the FBI's intervention. According to ABC10, a weapon's recovery status and a possible motive for the shooting are still under investigation.
KCRA 3 shared insights from Erin Coyle, a media law scholar, who noted that charges of interfering with the airwaves typically involve use of jammers or disruptive devices; however, there have been instances in the past decade where violent acts leading to such interference also prompted charges. As of now, Santana is being held on a "federal hold," and is thus ineligible for bail. This latest development comes amidst neighbor reactions of surprise and the scrutiny of Santana's social media activity, which has been found critical of the Trump administration.
Defense attorney Mark Reichel, speaking to KCRA 3, raised questions about the motives behind the subsequent federal charges, which he believes are minor in nature. "If you look at his social media, they're going to say, 'Boy, it sure shows that he's liberal and left wing.' So you think they're going to overlook something like that? I don't think so," Reichel said. Santana is also known by his neighbors for his unassuming presence, described by one as "a nice guy." He is expected to appear in federal court today, as revealed by the FBI to KCRA 3.
Following a brief release, Santana was re-arrested, prompting his attorney to criticize the handling of the case and suggest political motivations for the hastened federal intervention. "I think the President and the Trump Justice Department and Pam Bondi aren't going to let this one go by... Of course, they're going to grab it and try to bring it into federal court as soon as they can because they've got somebody who is an educated liberal who they believe shot at the building," Reichel told ABC10.
