The troubled Army veteran who allegedly assaulted U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin during a gubernatorial campaign near Rochester was charged with federal assault Saturday, authorities said.
David Iakubonis “intentionally” attacked the New York congressman and gubernatorial candidate “with a dangerous weapon” in Perrinton on Thursday night, an FBI agent alleged in a criminal complaint filed in United States District Court.
Although the four-term House member representing parts of Long Island was not injured Thursday, Iakubonis alleged he violated federal laws that make it a felony to intentionally assault a member of Congress, according to a six-page affidavit written by Special Agent Timothy Klapek.
Yakubonis told sheriff’s office investigators that he “didn’t know” who Zeldin was and that he “must have left” after being shown footage of the ambush, but federal law does not require prosecutors to prove the suspect was aware of the position of the victim to charge someone under this law. Yakubonis also told investigators he had been drinking whiskey on Thursday, according to the affidavit.
The 43-year-old suspect, who was released from jail hours after Thursday’s incident, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Marian W. Payson on Saturday, according to the complaint. Yakubonis was taken into custody during his court appearance at 2 p.m., according to an official at the federal court in Rochester.
Yakubonis is due back in federal court Wednesday morning, the Justice Department said in a news release. His lawyer declined to comment.
In this image taken from video provided by WHEC-TV, David Iakubonis, left, brandishes a sharp object as he attacks Rep. Lee Zeldin. WHEC-TV via AP
The FBI, New York State Police and Monroe County Sheriff’s personnel arrested him just before 12:00 p.m., the Daily Mail reported. A six-car convoy entered the Iakubonis apartment complex and left shortly after with the suspect in custody, according to the publication.
Zeldin — the Republican candidate for governor of New York who currently represents eastern Long Island in the House of Representatives — was allegedly attacked with a strange weapon while campaigning in Monroe County on Thursday night.
Yakubonis, who is accused of swinging a “double-edged set of self-defense knuckles” at Zeldin’s throat after he said “Done” — had previously been charged by local cops with attempted second-degree assault.
The weapon used appears to be a $10 plastic keychain that looks like a cartoon cat’s head and is marketed for “self-defense.”
Yakubonis was captured on video jumping on stage and lunging at the gubernatorial candidate seeking to unseat Gov. Kathy Hochul in the November general election while participating in a campaign event at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Perrinton.
After a brief struggle between the suspect and Zeldin, combat veteran and witness Joe Chenelli tackled Iakubonis to the ground.
Yakubonis was previously charged with attempted assault, arrested and released.AP
Legal experts told The Post that Yakubonis’ actions warrant a more serious charge, such as first-degree assault, which could result in him being held on bail. Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley is recusing herself from the case because she co-chaired Zeldin’s campaign committee, a prosecutor’s representative said.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani agreed that Zeldin’s alleged attacker was not charged immediately after he stormed the stage.
“It’s really indicative of the complete dysfunction of our criminal justice system under the Hochul crime wave,” the former federal prosecutor told The Post on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Zeldin shared The Post’s front page on the trial, arguing that Iakubonis’ release is a prime example of the consequences of progressive pretrial detention policies enacted in 2019.
“We cannot live in a country where someone who commits a crime by trying to stab me on stage at a campaign rally is then immediately released,” he blasted on Twitter. “New York’s cashless bail law must be REPEALED! Kathy Hochul refuses to do this job. I will!”
We cannot live in a country where someone who commits the crime of trying to stab me on stage at a campaign rally is immediately released. New York’s cashless bail law should be REPEALED! Kathy Hochul refuses to do this job. I will! pic.twitter.com/QUhwIiYyov
— Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) July 23, 2022
Asked for comment, a representative for Hochul’s campaign referred The Post to her tweet Thursday night.
“My team briefed me on the incident at Lee Zeldin’s campaign tonight. I am relieved to hear that Congressman Zeldin was not injured and that the suspect is in custody,” the governor tweeted. “I condemn this violent behavior in the strongest possible terms — it has no place in New York.”
In response to the attack, Zeldin has beefed up security at campaign events, he revealed on Friday.
“We have multiple rallies and other events today, tomorrow and Sunday. From our first event in Seneca County, our last event in Onondaga County and throughout the rest of this campaign, there will be increased security,” the congressman said during a campaign stop in Watertown.
Iakubonis — a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology — experienced a “precipitous decline” in his mental health after the death of his wife and a medical discharge from the military in 2012, a former neighbor told The Post on Friday.
The Fairport resident struggled with alcoholism and anxiety, he told the New York Times.
Yakubonis is accused of driving “double-edged self-defense knuckles” into Zeldin’s throat. AP
The newspaper also reported that Iakubonis did not know Zeldin was a congressman or that he was running for governor and that he “fell asleep” on Thursday night.
The Army veteran — who has been “actively seeking employment” since 2015, according to a LinkedIn profile in his name — is due back in court Aug. 30 for the statewide charge.
During his military career, he accumulated a dozen medals, including a Bronze Star, Army Commendation and two Army Achievement Medals, as well as one Good Conduct and National Defense Service Medal.
In addition, Army Pfc. David G. Iakubonis was identified in a 2009 article as being mobilized and activated for deployment overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Additional reporting by Carl Campanile, Georgette Roberts and Zach Williams
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