RIOT ARREST
Santa Fe man is charged in Jan. 6 uprising at US Capitol
SANTA FE — A Santa Fe man was recently arrested and charged for his alleged participation in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.
Matthew Martin, 42, was federally charged with unlawful entry, disorderly conduct impeding the conduct of government business, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in the capitol buildings, according to court documents.
If convicted, Martin faces a maximum of three years in prison for the combined crimes. The case will play out in District of Columbia federal court because that’s where the alleged crime took place.
Court documents don’t indicate Martin has an attorney at this time.
Martin has a security clearance and worked at a defense contracting company in Santa Fe, according to court documents. One of Martin’s coworkers told law enforcement that Martin had asked to take Jan. 6 off from work.
Protesters on that date stormed the U.S. Capitol and forced members of Congress to evacuate the area after they gathered to count electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election. The protesters-turned rioters claimed the election was stolen from former President Donald Trump — an assertion for which there is no evidence.
More than 140 people were injured in the attack and five people, including a U.S. Capitol police officer, died during the attack or shortly thereafter.
Court documents indicate the FBI got a hold of Martin’s cellphone records and found that he used his cell service in and around the U.S. Capitol building the day of the insurrection.
On Jan. 20, Martin acknowledged to FBI agents that he went into the U.S. Capitol building during the riot, according to court documents. He told agents that he read Trump’s tweets about the
election being stolen and that there would be a protest.
Martin said he flew to Washington on Jan. 5 to be part of the protest. He said Capitol guards opened the doors to the Capitol’s rotunda, but that he also saw smashed glass. He told the FBI he realized the protests were “worse than he thought” and flew back to Santa Fe on Jan. 7, according to court documents.
Martin gave the FBI photos of himself at the U.S. Capitol and the FBI was able to identify him on U.S. Capitol security footage as well, court documents say. The selfie shows Martin wearing a “USA” hat and a face mask with “Trump” written across the front.
Martin is the third known New Mexican to be arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. Otero County Commissioner and Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin is also facing federal charges for his alleged role in the riots, along with Shawn Witzemann of Farmington.
Witzemann faces the same charges as Martin. Griffin is charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building.
Both of those cases are still making their way through the District of Columbia federal court.
In all, close to 400 people have been charged with federal crimes connected to the uprising.