Feds argue history of violence should keep man behind bars

A Bucks County man charged with assaulting a U.S. Capitol police officer Jan. 6 has a history of violence, including choking and beating women to the point of unconsciousness and a rape allegation, that should keep him behind bars while he awaits trial, federal prosecutors said.

Ryan Samsel, 38, of Bristol filed a request last week to be released from federal custody citing his medical conditions, poor treatment for injuries he suffered in a jailhouse assault and the fact that he would be transferred to state prison for a violation of parole conviction.

In a scathing document filed Wednesday, the U.S. attorney’s office said his release would present a danger to the community because of his history of violence toward girlfriends and others that dates to 2006.

Samsel was arrested Jan. 30 and held on charges of assaulting a federal agent and other offenses related to his alleged role in the attempted insurrection as Congress met to certify the Electoral College votes in the 2020 presidential election.

According to the complaint charging Samsel, he and other protesters were filmed storming barricades outside the Capitol building, knocking a Capitol Police officer down and causing her to lose consciousness. Samsel picked the officer up off the ground and said, “We don’t have to hurt you, why are you standing in our way?” the officer later told FBI agents. Hours later, while arresting another protester, the officer again lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with a concussion.

After the barricades were breached, Samsel was part of a crowd that confronted police on the Capitol’s west terrace, where he tried to pull a riot shield from an officer, the complaint alleges.

While prosecutors acknowledge Samsel has medical conditions, they argue they do not outweigh an extensive criminal history that leaves “little doubt that Samsel’s release would put the public at risk.”

According to the motion opposing Samsel’s release, Samsel was convicted in 2006 of terroristic threats, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct in an incident in which Samsel forced a woman’s car off the road and punched her windshield over a $60 debt, telling the woman he knew where she lived and would kill her if he didn’t get the money.

A year later, a police report was filed against Samsel alleging that he got into another man’s car and hit him, knocking out his front teeth and bloodying his face.

In 2009, Samsel was convicted of simple assault and reckless endangerment after he held a woman against her will for five hours, choked her until she lost consciousness and pushed and beat her, chipping her teeth.

In 2011, he was convicted of crimes including simple assault and witness intimidation for choking and beating his pregnant girlfriend and threatening to kill her. According to the motion, Samsel smashed a hot pizza in the woman’s face, poured a beer over her head and threw her in a canal where he jumped in and held her head underwater. When the woman broke free, she ran into the street and flagged down a police vehicle.

Another woman testified that Samsel choked her to the point of unconsciousness and hit her, causing a hematoma, leading to a 2015 simple assault conviction.

In 2019, yet another woman alleged Samsel repeatedly broke into her house and raped and choked her. The woman obtained a restraining order but Samsel violated it. Prosecutors said there is an arrest warrant for Samsel in New Jersey stemming from the 2019 accusations and he was also on parole for the 2011 conviction. After his arrest in connection with the Capitol assault, the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole issued a detainer against Samsel.