Grocer accused of attacking Capitol
Charged with inciting rioters
A Fall River grocer was taken into custody by FBI agents on Thursday for his alleged participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol where he is accused of using a megaphone to incite rioters to rush the building and throwing objects at a door officers had retreated behind, federal prosecutors said.
Michael St. Pierre, 46, of Swansea, is the 29th person arrested from the region in connection to the Capitol incident, said Kristen Setera, spokeswoman for the Boston division of the FBI Boston.
Swansea is charged with a felony offense of civil disorder, and several misdemeanors, including destruction of government property, disorderly and disruptive conduct, engaging in physical violence, and committing an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings, according to Matthew M. Graves, US Attorney for the District of Columbia.
St. Pierre, the owner of the Family Foods Grocery Outlet on William Canning Boulevard, shared video of himself on social media that caught the attention of the FBI, according to The Herald News.
A week after the insurrection, St. Pierre told reporters the FBI already had been to his house and he “told them everything.” He also expressed regret for his actions.
“I’m not a violent guy, but I did get caught up in the moment,” he told The Herald News.
St. Pierre was arrested in Fall River and had an initial appearance in federal court in Boston late Thursday afternoon.
He was released by the court in Boston and is scheduled for an initial appearance in Washington DC on Aug. 2, St. Pierre’s Assistant Federal Public Defender Tim Watkins said in an e-mail.
According to court documents, while walking toward the Capitol grounds, St. Pierre was recorded saying the Capitol is “where the meeting ground is. Hopefully, they’ll bust through, and I’ll join them to rush the Capitol, to grab Nancy Pelosi by the hair.”
Video footage also depicts a man, identified as St. Pierre, throwing objects at the doors of the Capitol building before and after US Capitol Police officers had retreated behind them, federal prosecutors said.
Additional video footage captures St. Pierre, among a group of rioters pushing against a police line, with a megaphone saying,” We need everybody, let’s get in the Capitol.”
Nationwide, more than 1,069 people have been arrested for crimes related to the breach of the US Capitol and the investigation remains ongoing, federal prosecutors said.
Anyone with tips can call 1800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.