» Man in Pelosi’s office, legislator arrested.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The FBI on Friday arrested an Arkansas man who was photographed sitting at a de skin House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office and a Republican West Virginia legislator after the storming of the Capitol by a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters two days earlier led to five deaths.
Richard Barnett was arrested in Little Rock and charged with entering Pelosi’s office, where he “left a note and removed some of the speaker’s mail.”
Meanwhile, West Virginia state Delegate Derrick Evanswas charged with entering a restricted area of the Capitol after he live streamed himself rushing into the building with the mob.
Ken Kohl, a top deputy federal prosecutor in Washington, announced the charges against the pair and other members of the crowd who’ve been identified.
Barnett, 60, faces three federal charges: knowingly entering or remaining in restricted grounds without authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and theft of public property or records. If convicted, he faces up to a year in federal prison.
Barnett is from Gravette in northwest Arkansas. He has identified himself on social media as a Trump supporter and gun rights advocate. He was being held at the Washington County Jail in Arkansas.
Authorities said in court documents that theywere able to identify Barnett in part through photographs taken by news mediawhen hewas inside the building.
Authorities also used video surveillance frominside the Capitol and a video interview Barnett gave to a New York Times reporter in which he said, “I didn’t steal (an envelope). … I put a quarter on her desk, even though she ain’ t( expletive) worth it .”
Jim Parsons, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who served in Vietnam as a Green Beret, said he has been a guest speaker at a couple of “patriotic gatherings” that Barnett also attended. Barnett had an AR-15 rifle “tomake sure things stay peaceful,” Parsons said. He called Barnett “a good guy. He’s patriotic.”
One of the groups Barnett belongs to believes “a face mask is a dress rehearsal for what’s to come. ... It’ll end up with a chip in the forehead,” said Parsons, of Bella Vista, Ark.
Gr a vet te Mayor Kurt Maddox said the photo of Barnett in Pelosi’s office has brought his small town unwelcome attention and some residents have received threats.
Meanwhile, Evans appeared before a federal judge in Huntington, W.Va., on Friday after being arrested. Ifconvicted, hefacesuptoa year and a half in federal prison for two misdemeanors: entering a restricted area and disorderly conduct.
Federal Magistrate Judge Cheryl Eifert released him on his own recognizance. Wearing a hoodie and a face mask to protect against the coronavirus, Evans didn’t answer reporters’ questions as he left the courthouse and quickly go tina vehicle.
Television stationWSAZ posted a video on Twitter showing FBI agents escorting the handcuffed lawmaker from a home.
“He’s a fine man. And thank you, Mr. Trump, for inviting a riot at the White House,” a woman identifying herself as Evans’ grandmother told station reporters as her grandson was being taken into custody.