Police on Friday charged a Colorado youth pastor involved in the riot at the Capitol with multiple felonies and misdemeanors, according to a Department of Justice news release.
The FBI was able to identify Pastor Tyler Ethridge after a colleague at the Bible College told them he had bragged about his involvement in the riot last year on social media.
According to the DOJ release, the Bible college attendee, who was not named in supporting court documents released by the Justice Department, told the FBI that Ethridge had been “telling everyone” on Facebook that he was “on the scaffold outside Nancy Pelosi’s office and inside the hall.”
A video shot on the day of the event shows him acknowledging the risk to his work.
“After that, I’m probably going to lose my job as a pastor,” he said, according to court documents.
The riot at the Capitol resulted in the death of five people, including a police officer. Members of the Proud Boys, which is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, were in attendance, a Vice reporter tweeted.
Organizers were encouraged by former President Donald Trump’s calls to join him in protesting the results of the 2020 election, despite Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory. As members of Congress gathered at the Capitol to certify the results and confirm Biden’s presidency, Trump supporters staged a coup attempt and stormed the Capitol.
Last year, the rebels struggled to delete photos and social media posts proving their involvement in the Capitol riot. Some smashed their cellphones, deleted their social media accounts and tried to wipe hard drives that might contain photos and other evidence of their involvement.
But others, like Ethridge, bragged about their involvement, making it easier for the FBI to catch and charge them.
After the riot, Ethridge urged his friends on social media not to be “afraid of what they judge you with,” according to court documents.
“I’m not. I am ready for whatever I will be accused of,” he continued. “America is still primed and ready.”
So far, more than 870 people have been charged in connection with the riot, according to Insider’s database.
Ethridge is charged with six counts, including civil disorder and obstructing official proceedings.
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