Category: Security

Source: US FBI

EUGENE, Ore.—A Baker City, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for assaulting his then-girlfriend on the Burns Paiute Indian Reservation in March 2023.

Skyhawk Teeman Garcia, 29, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on March 11, 2023, Garcia went to his then-girlfriend’s house on the Burns Paiute Indian Reservation while intoxicated and demanded access to her phone. When she refused, Garcia, a former mixed martial arts fighter, became angry and put the victim in a chokehold, strangling her. The victim’s child intervened, causing Garcia to release the victim, and then called 911. Garcia punched multiple holes in a wall before leaving the residence.

Police arrived as Garcia was walking away from the house. He told the officer he had an argument with his girlfriend and punched some walls, but denied assaulting the victim. 

On April 20, 2023, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Garcia with one count of assault by strangulation. One year later, on April 24, 2024, he pleaded guilty to the single charge.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Sweet.

Domestic violence can include both physical and emotional abuse, and it is frequently hidden from public view. Many survivors suffer in silence, afraid to seek help or not knowing where to turn. The traumatic effects of domestic violence also extend beyond the abused person, impacting family members, friends, and communities.

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911.

If you need assistance or know someone who needs help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Many communities throughout the country have also created support networks to assist survivors in the process of recovery.

The StrongHearts Native Helpline offers culturally specific support and advocacy for American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of domestic violence. Please call 1-844-762-8483 or visit www.strongheartshelpline.org for more information.

Source: US FBI

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Deschutes County, Oregon sex offender with a prior felony conviction for encouraging child sex abuse was sentenced to federal prison today after he requested a sexually explicit image online from an individual he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

Roger Clint Lee Vanwormer, 30, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and a life term of supervised release.

According to court documents, while on supervision and wearing an ankle monitor, Vanwormer requested a sexually explicit image online from an individual he thought was a 14-year-old girl. Vanwormer further engaged in explicit discussions with the purported minor and arranged to meet. On July 27, 2021, Vanwormer was arrested in Bend when he showed up at the arranged meeting location.

On February 17, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a three-count indictment charging Vanwormer with attempted sexual exploitation of a child, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and commission of a felony involving a minor by a registered sex offender. Vanwormer pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child.

This case was investigated by the Bend Police Department with assistance from the FBI. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Source: US FBI

            WASHINGTON – Brothers from Oregon pleaded guilty today to felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from their conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. Their actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            Jonathanpeter Allen Klein, 24, of Pendleton, Oregon, pleaded guilty to one count of civil disorder and one count or assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers before U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss.

            Matthew Leland Klein, 27, of Pendleton, Oregon, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of civil disorder and a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds also before Judge Moss.

            The two men will be sentenced on Nov. 15, 2024.

            According to court documents, the brothers traveled from Portland, Oregon, to Washington, D.C., to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021. After attending the rally, the brothers made their way toward the Capitol building and entered into the restricted perimeter before separating.

            At about 2:00 p.m., a group of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers arrived at the Northwest edge of the grounds in order to assist and reinforce the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), who were outnumbered by the amassing crowd on the West Plaza of the Capitol. The MPD officers had organized themselves into a two-line formation and then attempted to make their way through the crowd to reach other law enforcement on the West Plaza police line.

            As the MPD officers were attempting to move through the crowd of rioters, Jonathanpeter Klein threw a piece of audio-visual equipment at the officers. The object directly hit an MPD officer in the helmet, causing the officer to stumble.

            At approximately 2:18 p.m., Matthew Klein and Jonathanpeter Klein entered into the Capitol building via the Senate Wing Door and separated. Matthew Klein was carrying a Gadsden flag and left the building approximately ten minutes later through a broken window next to the Senate Wing Door. Jonathanpeter Klein traversed most of the building through the crypt, Rotunda, and House side of the Capitol. Jonathanpeter then left the building and reunited with his brother.

            After exiting the building, the two men joined with a group of other rioters struggling against police to open the North Door of the Capitol. Through these combined efforts, the rioters, including Matthew and Jonathanpeter, were able to force the door open. Immediately after breaching the North Door, Matthew positioned himself in front of the North Door to obstruct police officers who were emerging from the building to disperse the rioters. Matthew also used his flag to interfere with the officers who were attempting to resecure the door.

            The FBI arrested the two men on March 23, 2021, in Oregon.  

            This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for District of Oregon.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Portland and Washington Field Offices. Jonathanpeter was identified as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #127L and Matthew was identified as BOLO #127R. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department. 

            In the 42 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,470 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 530 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Source: US FBI

TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Raul M Arias-Marxuach sentenced three Tulsa men for armed robberies in Catoosa and Owasso, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

“These three defendants were sentenced for violent crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “They robbed the victim in an occupied hotel and shot at others recklessly in a neighborhood. They were violent and dangerous. The Northern District of Oklahoma is safer with them behind bars.”

Yonaton Perez, 20, was sentenced to 96 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release for Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.

Anthony Gabriel Calvillo-Rodriguez, 20, to 190 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release for Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery; Carrying and Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

Anthony Alexander Bernal-Perez, 23, to 121 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release for Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country.

Court records show that on April 7, 2023, Perez was parked in a private parking lot behind a bar in Tulsa. Tulsa Police officers approached the vehicle. During the investigation, officers found that Perez possessed more than 660 grams of methamphetamine that he intended to sell. 

In September 2023, Perez directed another person to get a hotel room in Catoosa with the intent of robbing the victim. While the victim was in the hotel room, Perez, Calvillo-Rodriguez, and Bernal-Perez robbed the victim. The victim was targeted because he was a drug dealer, wore flashy jewelry, and routinely carried drug proceeds on him. The defendants robbed the victim of more than $100k in jewelry and cash.

In a third incident in October 2023, Calvillo-Rodriguez and Bernal-Perez were waiting in a parking lot in Owasso when four juveniles pulled up to their vehicle and robbed Calvillo-Rodriguez. When the juvenile robbers drove off, Calvillo-Rodriguez and Bernal-Perez followed the robbers and blocked their vehicle. Calvillo-Rodriguez and Bernal-Perez opened fire on the juvenile robbers in a neighborhood, striking several homes and vehicles. 

All three men will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, the Owasso Police Department, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and John Brasher prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

Source: US FBI

TULSA, Okla. –  In November 2024, a jury found Thomas Edward Petro, 32, of Ashtabula, Ohio, guilty of Coercion and Enticement of a Minor.

Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell, sentenced Petro to 140 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon release, Petro will be required to register as a sex offender.

“Petro enticed this child using social media,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I encourage parents and guardians to talk with your children. Know who they spend time with and what they do on their cell phones. Sexual predators like Petro are skilled in befriending children and taking advantage of them.” 

The evidence presented at trial showed that Petro lived in Ohio and met the minor child through an app. Petro shared hundreds of sexually explicit messages, voice recordings, pictures, and videos of himself with a 13-year-old minor child. Petro requested the minor to take sexually explicit images and send them to him. Knowing the victim was 13, Petro asked the victim to keep their relationship a secret.

The inappropriate relationship was discovered when the minor child told a friend. That friend told the school resource officer, who immediately contacted the principal and reported the incident to the FBI.

When the lead FBI agent testified, he confirmed that the minor child did disclose that they were only 13 years old. After going over all of the sexually explicit evidence in front of the jury, the agent also confirmed that Petro never asked the minor child to stop engaging in sexual activity.

Petro was taken into custody following the guilty verdict. He will remain in custody, pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and Adair Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Brandon and Scott Dunn prosecuted it.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page. 

Source: US FBI

United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the February Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

Dylan Ray Alexander. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Alexander, 31, of Bartlesville and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with unlawfully killing Kevin Holden and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Dunn and Tara Heign are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-052

Jeremiah Jacob Drake. Production of Child Pornography; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Drake, 44, of Tulsa, is charged with coercing a minor child to produce sexually explicit content. He is additionally charged with receiving, possessing, and distributing sexually explicit material that depicts the sexual abuse of a minor child. Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-056

Carl Anthony Epps, II. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence in Indian Country (superseding).  Epps, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. Further, he is charged with using a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-007

Anthony Wayne Jeremiah. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Malicious Mischief in Indian Country; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Jeremiah, 43, transient and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon and maliciously destroying the victim’s property. He is further charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after previously being convicted of felonies. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Dunn and Emily Dewhurst are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-055

Blake Alan Miller. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country. Miller, 41, of Forrest City, Arkansas, and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a child under 12 years old. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-045

Gabriel Urquiza-Urquiza; Daisy Villanueva; Javier Rodarte; Ricardo Plateado-Martinez; Rosa Maria Olmos; Rafael Gonzalez; Joel Rosales Pina. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Firearms Conspiracy (Count 2); Firearms Trafficking (Count 3); Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering (Count 4); Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activity (Counts 5 & 6); Distribution of Methamphetamine (Count 7); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 8); Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms (Count 9); Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 10); Illegal Export of Firearms (Count 11); Smuggling Firearms from the United States (Count 12); Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien (Count 13); Conspiracy to Import a Controlled Substance (second superseding). Urquiza-Urquiza, 26, a Mexican National; Villanueva, 24, of Oklahoma City; Rodarte, 26, of Moore; Plateado-Martinez, 34, of Broken Arrow; Olmos, 35, of Broken Arrow; Gonzales, 31, of Beaumont; and Pina, 40, a Mexican National are charged with conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. Urquiza-Urquiza, Villanueva, Rodarte, Plateado-Martinez, Olmos, Gonzalez, and Pina are charged with conspiring to conceal or disguise proceeds from the transactions of methamphetamine distribution. Urquiza-Urquiza is charged with two counts of knowingly engaging in monetary transactions that involved criminally derived property valued at more than $10,000. Villanueva is also charged with intentionally distributing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Pina is further charged with maintaining a residence to distribute drugs. Urquiza-Urquiza, Gonzalez, and Pina are charged with conspiring to import more than 500 grams of methamphetamine from Mexico. Urquiza-Urquiza is also charged with possessing firearms, knowing he is an illegal alien unlawfully in the United States, and with possessing firearms in the furtherance of drug trafficking. He is additionally charged with willfully exporting and smuggling firearms from the United States to Mexico. The Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Broken Arrow Police Department, and Oklahoma City Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-131

Adrian Marquez Rodriguez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rodriguez, 46, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Nov. 2005. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-054

Ronald Dewayne Thompson. Possession of Child Pornography; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country; Commission of Felony Sex Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender. Thompson, 33, of Claremore, is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. He knowingly engaged in sexual conduct with a minor under 12 years of age. Additionally, Thompson knowingly is required to register and committed a felony involving a minor child. Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-058

Delawnsha Lemar Tiger. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Tiger, 30, transient, is charged with knowingly failing to register as a sex offender in Dec. 2024. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-053

Source: US FBI

TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Melik Deshawn Davis, 34, for two counts of Robbery in Indian Country. Judge Arias-Marxuach ordered Davis to 76 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,500 in restitution.

In September 2023, Tulsa Police officers were dispatched to an auto repair shop where the employees were robbed. Upon arrival, officers found two victims who described being held at gunpoint, pistol-whipped, and robbed.

The investigation revealed that Davis was dropped off at the auto repair shop. The vehicle was seen on video surveillance and FLOCK cameras fleeing the area. When law enforcement spoke with Davis, he admitted to robbing the victims.

Davis is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and he will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

Source: US FBI

TULSA, Okla. – A transient man was found guilty in October 2024 of First Degree Murder in Indian Country, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.

Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Cameron Lynn, 34, to life imprisonment for first-degree murder, plus 120 months for discharging a weapon during a crime of violence. Lynn’s remaining counts of assault were sentenced concurrently as 120 months for each count.

“Cameron Lynn maliciously took the life of Alcides Monroig and assaulted another,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This life sentence, plus an additional ten years, will ensure Lynn is no longer a danger to anyone in the Northern District. This sentence would not be possible without the hard work of the detectives, agents, and prosecutors.”

According to evidence presented at trial, on February 24, 2024, Tulsa Police officers were dispatched around midnight to a call where someone was shot. The caller was in a heavily wooded area near railroad tracks, flagged down officers and led them to the encampment. Officers found two victims in their tents that were shot. Medical personnel arrived on the scene and rendered aid to both victims. One victim was shot in the abdomen and transported to a local hospital. The other victim, Alcides Monroig, died at the scene.

The caller and surviving victim told officers that they were asleep when Lynn approached their encampment. They explained that Lynn started going through their belongings, stating he was trying to find his stuff. They told officers they shined a flashlight, trying to see Lynn, and asked him to leave. Lynn refused and shot several times at both tents before fleeing.

Several witnesses testified that they saw Lynn heading towards the encampment. After they heard several shots fired, Lynn ran toward the witnesses, telling them that they needed to leave the area and that he shot in self-defense.

Lynn is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and Stephen Flynn prosecuted.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

Source: US FBI

TOLEDO, Ohio – A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to an organized scheme that defrauded the Lucas County Auditor of more than $622,000. From March 2018 through November 2020, Darren Barr, age 39, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, collaborated with others to carry out a plan to obtain money by pretending to be legitimate vendors with which the county was approved to do business.

In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge James G. Carr for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Barr to serve three years of supervised release and pay $622,793.62 in restitution.

During the investigation, law enforcement officials discovered that the fraudsters used information found on public websites to obtain specific details about approved government vendor businesses. Among the information they gathered, were the names of the Lucas County employees who were responsible for paying vendors. Using the data they found, Barr and his co-conspirators created email accounts to look like those of the approved businesses. They also opened fraudulent bank accounts with forged State of Pennsylvania and Internal Revenue Service corporate documents. After each step of the scheme was in place, Barr and his co-conspirators carried out their plan.

First, legitimate invoices were sent to the county employees from the false vendor emails they controlled. Instructions in the email directed the employees to submit payment to any one of the fraudulent corporate bank accounts created by Barr and his co-conspirators. Because they believed the emails to be from legitimate vendors, the employees submitted payments to the sham bank accounts controlled by the scammers.

As soon as payments were received into the fraudulent accounts, Barr would quickly transfer the money into other bank accounts he and his co-conspirators controlled in an attempt to try and conceal their activities.

This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Melching for the Northern District of Ohio.

To report fraud, visit justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/report-fraud.

Source: US FBI

            WASHINGTON — An Ohio man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges related to his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            Jamie Wright, 36, of Bowerston, Ohio, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with a felony offense of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a capitol building or grounds.

            The FBI arrested Wright yesterday in Canton, Ohio and he will make his initial appearance in the Northern District of Ohio.

            According to court documents, it is alleged that Wright was identified on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., outside of the barricades on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol grounds wearing a black hooded jacket and a red hat with “Trump 2020.” There, open-source images and video footage depict Wright, at approximately 1:45 p.m., along with others, pushing on the police barricades that outlined the restricted perimeter against officers protecting the Capitol.

            Court records say that after this initial push, officers were able to reestablish the barricades; however, video footage from the Capitol shows that approximately two minutes later, Wright grabbed and pulled the same barricades from officers as they continued to try and hold the crowd back. Only a few minutes later, Wright again attempted to grab the bike rack barricades from officers. This time, video footage shows that he and other rioters successfully took the barricade and moved it back into the crowd near the flowerbeds behind them.

            A short while later, at about 2:00 p.m., it is alleged that Wright again tried to grab barricades from officers on the police line. At the same time, rioters to the left of Wright pushed the barricades against the police. This time, the rioters, including Wright, successfully breached the barricades and police line and moved toward the Capitol building. Wright then turned to the crowd behind him and ushered others forward by waving his hand right before he advanced.

            Shortly after making it into the restricted perimeter, Wright stopped his advance and moved a barricade out of the way of the other rioters. Wright then moved forward to the Capitol again, waiving people forward with him. Court documents say that Wright made it to the terrace of the Capitol building, where video footage depicts him waving rioters forward.

            This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Cleveland and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.                                                      

            In the 45 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,532 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 571 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

            A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.