Washington — A 54-year-old New York man was arrested and charged with assaulting officers and different violent crimes stemming from his alleged participation within the January 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol, courtroom paperwork revealed Wednesday.
The Justice Division says Ralph Joseph Celentano III, of Broad Channel, New York, "blind-sided" a Capitol Police officer from behind in a "football-type sort out," pushing the officer over a ledge on the Capitol's west terrace, in accordance with an account the officer gave investigators.
The officer, an Iraq conflict veteran recognized solely by his initials "Okay.E." within the felony grievance, was pushed over the ledge and landed on the terrace beneath.
"I did not survive a conflict to exit like this," the officer recalled considering as he fell, in accordance with the courtroom paperwork.
Celentano allegedly fought different legislation enforcement officers defending the Capitol constructing, charging paperwork say, earlier than returning to his hometown the day after the assault. Physique- and security-camera movies captured the alleged assaults on legislation enforcement that investigators describe within the paperwork.
Prosecutors say they recognized Celentano's lengthy hair, a flag he was carrying and a folding chair that was connected to his backpack, making him "distinctive" within the crowd.
Investigators examined the EZ Go toll transponder related to an unnamed lady described by a authorities witness as Celentano's "on and off once more girlfriend" to trace the defendant's alleged journey from New York to the nation's capital and again once more.
A CBS Information evaluate of courtroom paperwork reveals over 750 people have been charged for allegedly participating within the January 6 assault. Over 222 of them have entered plea agreements with the federal government.
Man Reffitt, the primary January 6 defendant to face trial, was discovered responsible on 5 counts on Tuesday after a jury dominated he carried a gun onto Capitol grounds and interfered with officers because the mob made its means into the constructing.
Due to the rioting that day, Congress was compelled to quickly halt its counting of the 2020 Electoral Faculty votes, a course of that may finally certify the election of President Joe Biden.
4 individuals who have been on the rally died on January 6: Ashli Babbitt, who was shot by a Capitol Police officer, and three others who died of separate "medical emergencies," authorities stated on the time. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was sprayed with a chemical substance in the course of the riot, collapsed later and died after struggling two strokes on January 7, the D.C. medical expert's workplace stated.
Within the days and months after the assault, 4 extra cops who responded on the Capitol that day died by suicide.
At the very least 140 officers have been bodily attacked in the course of the Capitol breach, the U.S. lawyer's workplace says, and over 275 people have been charged with assaulting or interfering with police.