Overview
- At a first federal court appearance in Baltimore, Ziz LaSota refused to stand, gave unconventional answers, and denounced the case as a “genocide” against transgender people before entering a not-guilty plea.
- LaSota is charged with possessing firearms and ammunition as a fugitive, following a February arrest in Frostburg, Maryland, that ended a cross-country search and led to a June indictment.
- Charging documents say LaSota identified as transgender but was charged under a deadname in filings, an issue raised by defense counsel in recent motions.
- Prosecutors said the federal trial could take about three days, and LaSota remains in Allegany County custody with a separate local case rescheduled for February.
- Authorities link the alleged Zizian network to six homicides in multiple states, including the killing of Border Patrol Agent David Maland; member Teresa Youngblut faces that charge and federal prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty, while LaSota has not been charged in those deaths.