ANDY NGO REPORTS: Alleged firebomber from 2020 Atlanta ICE attack identified years later as Portland Trantifa militant

The FBI is seeking an at-large "armed and dangerous" Portland Trantifa violent extremist who was finally identified for his alleged involvement in a violent attack on ICE in Atlanta, Ga. in 2020.

According to the federal charging document, Ronald Scott Watson, 28, was part of a group of masked rioters who attacked the DHS ICE Field Office on July 25, 2020. This was during the height of deadly BLM-Antifa riots across the U.S. after George Floyd's death. 

At the violent direct action, several rioters climbed over the security fence and hurled rocks, cinder blocks, modified explosive fireworks and Molotov cocktails at the building.

Federal investigators discovered blood across the scene on the broken glass. They also recovered a lit incendiary device that had been hurled inside. The device burned but failed to set the building aflame. Lab analysis confirmed all the DNA samples belonged to a single individual.

The case sat dormant for years until late 2022 when Watson was arrested near Portland for a theft and violent attack on responding law enforcement. Watson pleaded guilty in Washington County, Ore. in January 2023. He was convicted of felony theft, felony assault of a public safety officer and unlawfully using mace.

Watson was sentenced to only 30 days in jail and was placed on supervised probation. His DNA was collected as part of that investigation and conviction. That sample matched the blood recovered from the Atlanta crime scene, federal investigators say.

Watson was federally indicted on July 2 for malicious damage and attempt to damage, by means of fire or an explosive, a building possessed by, and leased to, the United States.

In January 2024, Watson petitioned an Oregon court to change both his name and legal sex designation. He is now legally a "female" named "Emily Smith." Many trans suspects and convicts change their names to make it difficult to be identified and found. Oregon, like other Democrat jurisdictions, has few safeguards in place to prevent this exploitation.

Investigators say Watson had also used the female aliases "Sarah Watson," "Victoria Watson," "Miranda Kyle" and "Emily Langford" at various points. 

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Theodore Hertzberg is asking a judge to hold Watson without bail if or when he is apprehended. Watson had applied for a passport, also making him a flight risk.  

The criminal complaint also highlighted Watson's history of alleged extremist online posts directed at ICE employees. In 2019, he posted names and photos of four ICE agents on Facebook with the caption: "known ICE Agents in Columbus, GA." In another post, he shared an edited scene from the film "Inglorious Basterds" depicting an ICE agent about to be violently killed with a baseball bat, accompanied by the caption: "How I prefer to make it." 

Watson also allegedly boasted that he had "marched, thrown bricks, done other things not to be mentioned, raised awareness, promoted civil disobedience tactics, doxxed people, signed petitions, [and] contacted my senator and representative." He allegedly added: "[D]on't tell me that I'm not taking action."

Watson is the latest transgender violent extremist this year federally charged with crimes related to leftist political violence. Nearly a dozen alone are or were in Oregon. The FBI is offering up to $10,000 for information about Watson leading to his arrest. Those with information can call 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov.