Wisconsin man faces charges in Capitol riot
Munn’s family members from Texas also charged
A Melrose man and four of his family members from Texas are the latest people charged with raiding the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 after a rally addressed by former President Donald Trump.
Joshua Munn, 23, appeared in federal court in Madison Tuesday and waived his rights to a preliminary or detention hearing and was released on standard conditions not to commit any crimes, influence witnesses or obstruct investigators. His next hearing is set for July 21
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Madison, Munn is from Melrose, in Jackson County.
According to court records, he and at least four other family members left Texas to attend the rally in January. The five are now charged with entering a restricted building, disruptive conduct in a restricted building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
Others charged are Kristi Munn, 28, Thomas Munn, 53, Dawn Munn, 55, and Kayli Munn. There is a photo of the family investigators took from social media that appears to show them ready to depart for Washington, D.C.
Authorities have now charged more than 500 people who took part in the deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol, including at least five others from Wisconsin.
According to court records:
The Munns left for Washington, D.C., from Borger, Texas. Kristi Munn appears to have posted updates on their travels and experience at the events of Jan. 6. A tipster pointed the FBI to her Snapchat account.
Soon after, Kristi Munn's Facebook page was no longer available, but investigators found pages for other family members. Some by Tom Munn seemed to urge attendance at the Jan. 6 rally in days leading up to it. One noted the family had made it to D.C. — “1,600 miles in 24 hrs!”
Using the Munns' photos on social media, investigators found them entering the Capitol through a window and milling about in other areas, on surveillance video. A sixth family member, identified in records as a minor, is seen inside the Capitol as well but is not charged.
According to the court records, Josh Munn posted on his own Facebook page, “Before you hear it on the news I am I [sic] family marched on DC today it was extremely cool we did enter the Capitol building with the … Second group there was no violence from the protesters at all it all came from the police believe it or not … It was super cool everything was cool till the cop used tear gas that is when people got mad but still never hurt anyone.”
Someone replied to him, “Oh so u broke in?”
Munn replied that the window was already opened when they got to them.