QuickTake:

Prosecutors have not disclosed full details of the charges. The defendant, Trenton Van Zoeren, is represented by the Civil Liberties Defense Center, which has represented Eugene Federal Building protesters in other cases.

Prosecutors have filed charges against a man they say assaulted a federal officer and damaged windows at the Eugene Federal Building in January.

Trenton Alexander Van Zoeren pleaded not guilty Wednesday, Sept. 2, to two counts of assaulting a federal officer and two counts of damaging windows.

In May, Oregon’s U.S. attorney announced the criminal prosecution of two others for their alleged actions during days of heavy protest activity at the federal building.

But federal authorities have not commented publicly about Van Zoeren, whose indictment took place in U.S. District Court in Medford. A federal Department of Homeland Security spokesperson did not respond to questions from Lookout Eugene-Springfield.

Wednesday, Van Zoeren appeared in U.S. District Court in Eugene, telling U.S. Magistrate Judge Amy Potter he understood the charges filed against him.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Judi Harper, who appeared by telephone, told Potter prosecutors were not seeking to detain Van Zoeren. His trial date is set for December.

Van Zoeren faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of the most serious charge he faces, aggravated assault on a federal employee causing bodily injury, according to the indictment.

The alleged assault took place “on or about” Jan. 28 “within the district of Oregon,” according to the indictment. Van Zoeren is also charged with assault of a federal officer involving physical contact. Both counts of assault involve the same alleged victim, a Federal Protective Service law enforcement officer.

The date of the alleged assault falls between days of protests at the Eugene Federal Building, taking place after the Jan. 27 use of chemical munitions by federal officers against protesters and before a Jan. 30 declared riot at the downtown site.

The protests took place days after the Jan. 24 shooting death of U.S. citizen Alex Pretti during federal immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis, which followed the Jan. 7 shooting death of Renée Good also in Minneapolis.

Van Zoeren is also alleged to have damaged windows at the Eugene Federal Building “on or about” Jan. 14 and also Jan. 21, according to the indictment, which states that each count of willfully committing depredation against property of the United States resulted in damage exceeding $1,000.

Van Zoeren is represented by Lauren Regan, director of litigation and advocacy for the Eugene-based Civil Liberties Defense Center.

Another person alleged to have damaged a window at the Eugene Federal Building, Soren Polzin, had his arraignment scheduled for Wednesday, but court records show it was postponed pending a continuing investigation. 

Polzin has not been indicted, but a criminal complaint and accompanying affidavit allege he broke out a large windowpane during the Jan. 30 protest.

A grand jury in April indicted Ryan Gaither Jr. on charges that include aggravated assault on a federal employee causing bodily injury. He has a trial scheduled for Oct. 5 in U.S. District Court in Eugene.