Florida Man Arrested For Attempting To Infiltrate Air Force Base As ‘Captain America’ With Loaded AR-15

Baruch Roche II, a 33-year-old Tampa resident, has been indicted for attempting to gain unauthorized access to MacDill Air Force Base while armed and claiming to be ‘Captain America.’

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the indictment, which includes one count of attempted possession of a firearm in a federal facility. Roche faces a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison if convicted. Additionally, the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offense.

On November 3, Roche attempted to enter the MacDill Air Force Base in his vehicle. When stopped by U.S. Air Force security personnel at the gate and asked for identification, Roche refused to comply. Instead, he identified himself as “Captain America” and demanded entry, claiming he had a meeting with a General of the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to provide top-secret information.

Roche’s behavior escalated to argumentative and threatening, as he vowed to return daily until granted entry. His suspicious behavior led to his detention, and a subsequent search of his vehicle revealed an AR-15 rifle in the trunk, along with five magazines loaded with a total of 125 rounds of ammunition.

The indictment against Roche is a formal charge for violations of federal criminal law. The case, investigated by the U.S. Air Force Security Forces, the Tampa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.