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Joseph Randall Biggs, 37, faces charges of corruptly obstructing
an official proceeding before Congress, unlawful entry, and
disorderly conduct in the attack on the seat of government while
lawmakers were certifying Democrat Joe Biden's Nov. 3 election
win.
Biggs was released on a $25,000 bond on Wednesday afternoon.
Biden was sworn in as President on Wednesday and he called for
an end to America's "uncivil war." https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-inauguration/taking-helm-of-divided-nation-u-s-president-biden-calls-for-end-to-uncivil-war-idUSKBN29P0HG
A number of people with ties to the Proud Boys have been charged
and more than 100 people overall have been arrested so far, a
figure prosecutors expect will grow as the FBI continues to
analyze more than 200,000 photos and videos of the Capitol riot.
The criminal complaints have revealed that some of the rioters
have ties to right-wing fringe groups, are known white
supremacists or adhere to the QAnon conspiracy theory, in which
believers claim that former president Trump is secretly fighting
a cabal of child-sex predators that includes prominent Democrats
and "deep state" government officials.
On Tuesday, prosecutors charged three members of the Oath
Keepers militia with conspiring to breach the Capitol, and
released text messages with references to trapping members of
Congress in the tunnels beneath the Capitol and gassing them.
No conspiracy charges have been filed involving the Proud Boys,
though the FBI in its criminal complaint against Biggs said
"multiple individuals" associated with the group have been
photographed "with earpieces."
Investigators said Biggs actively encouraged members to travel
to Washington and communicated directly with the group's leader
Enrique Tarrio, who was arrested before the Jan. 6 riots on
charges of destruction of property and possession of a firearm
magazine.
The FBI said Biggs and fellow Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola can be
seen in video footage entering the Capitol, with Pezzola
breaking a window. Later, Biggs tells the camera "this is
awesome," according to the complaint.
Pezzola, who was arrested on Jan. 15, also faces charges.
Prosecutors are also focused on tracking down people who
assaulted police or members of the press.
Patrick Edward McCaughey III, who was pictured in a now-viral
video in which Washington police officer Daniel Hodges was
pinned with a riot shield, appeared in federal court in New York
on Wednesday on charges of assaulting police, among others.
McCaughey can be seen crushing Hodges in the video and can be
heard telling officers to not resist the rioters, according to
the criminal complaint. "You see me. Just go home. Talk to your
buddies and go home," he allegedly said.
Benjamin Gianforti, the prosecutor in the case on Wednesday,
characterized the video as "chilling."
McCaughey's attorney said his client is not as "maniacal" as the
government alleges and asked that he be allowed to return home
to live with family. A federal judge ordered McCaughey to be
detained, describing his conduct as "highly disturbing."
Also appearing in court on Wednesday was Samuel Fisher, whom the
FBI said breached the Capitol and also posted photos of himself
with guns.
On Facebook the next day, he purportedly told someone that he
was there, and that even though people died and he got
tear-gassed, it was "great."
"Seeing cops literally run ... was the coolest thing I've ever
seen in my life," he is quoted as saying.
A federal judge ordered Fisher detained, citing the amount of
weapons and ammunition found in his possession upon being
arrested.
"That to me is a serious danger," the judge said.
(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Brad Heath; Additional
reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Sonya
Hepinstall, Grant McCool and Bill Berkrot)
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