JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The man accused of slashing an officer’s neck during a confrontation with protesters downtown on May 30 has been sentenced to 21 months in Florida State Prison.
Martin Bryan Silvera-Albor, 22, was arrested about three weeks after the protest that later took a violent turn. He was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, criminal mischief and resisting an officer without violence. The aggravated battery and resisting charges were not pursued, but Silvera-Albor pleaded guilty to battery on a law enforcement officer and criminal mischief.
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MORE: Police seek man accused of slashing officer’s neck during confrontation with protesters
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, an officer was attempting to control the large crowd when a man approached the officer from behind and repeatedly struck him in the head and neck areas. According to a JSO arrest report obtained by News4Jax, Silvera-Albor admitted to his girlfriend that he punched a JSO officer and jumped up on the police cruiser but denied stabbing the officer.
The report does not say what kind of weapon was used to stab the officer.
While more than 100 people were arrested during a weekend of protest in Jacksonville the week after George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis and demonstrations, sometimes violent, spread across the country. Charges against all but four people charged with felonies were dropped by the State Attorney’s Office
“We remain committed to protecting peaceful protests while holding those accountable who resort to violence,” said State Attorney Melissa Nelson.