Pair indicted for pie to Levin's face

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Two people were indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly hitting Michigan US Senator Carl Levin with a pie in the face in Big Rapids in August.

Ahlam Mohsen and Max Kantar, each 23, are accused of working together to assault Levin while he met with constituents at a cafe.

On August 16, Levin took a question near the end of the Monday morning meeting in Big Rapids from a man who said he was a student, Levin's office said in a news release. The man read a long statement, then a woman came up and hit Levin with a pie.

Mohsen was arrested by Big Rapids police. Kantar was not arrested at the time, but authorities said charges were possible.

The pair were indicted for forcible assault and for aiding and abetting each other in assaulting the senator. This is a felony charge with a possible sentence of eight years. They're also facing a misdemeanor assault charge, but this does not require the government to prove they had physical contact with Levin or assaulted him while he was on official duty.

At the time, Levin took the pie toss in stride.

"They didn't hurt me, but they hurt their cause even more than their own extreme words had already done," he said in a statement at the time.

But US Attorney Donald Davis sees it differently. In a statement, Davis said, "My office will vigorously enforce the laws that ensure the leaders we freely choose in open elections can meet with their constituents to exchange views without fear of assault and physical reprisal."

The FBI and the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety continue to investigate this case.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.