U.S. Capitol riot

Harwinton Man Charged in Connection With Riot at U.S. Capitol

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A Harwinton man has been arrested in connection with the riot at the United States Capitol in Washington, DC on Jan. 6.

Richard Crosby Jr., 25, of Harwinton, has been charged with entering and remaining on the floor of Congress, as well as additional charges.

He was arrested Thursday morning in Harwinton and appeared virtually after a federal criminal complaint was issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. 

Other charges read during the court proceeding include obstruction of justice, specifically Congress; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in the Capitol; and parading, demonstrating or picketing at the Capitol.

According to court documents, video from the Senate chamber shows Crosby on the Senate dais alongside Jacob Chansley, the so-called QAnon shaman. Crosby, according to the documents, confirmed it was him in the footage during an interview with FBI agents.

Department of Justice
This image, contained in court documents filed in the federal case against Richard T. Crosby, Jr. (center) was pulled from video footage of the Senate Chamber on January 6, 2021.

The documents state that Crosby told investigators "he did not engage in any confrontation or altercation with law enforcement," though he did say he saw others having physical confrontations with police, and he saw one man holding a house plant taken from a legislator's desk.

Crosby is among more than 400 people who have been arrested in connection with the Capitol breach.

An assistant federal defender in Connecticut was appointed to defend Crosby and the judge said another attorney will be appointed when the case goes before a judge in the District of Columbia.

Neither Crosby nor his public defender responded to the charges during the court hearing. Crosby, wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants, said he understood his rights when he was questioned by the magistrate judge.

Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti found that Crosby was not a flight risk or danger to the public and ordered him released on several conditions, including that he live with his parents in Harwinton and not travel to Washington, D.C., unless it is for legal purposes.

He is due to appear for another virtual hearing on June 8.

Federal prosecutor Margaret Donovan did not seek detention or bail for Crosby, whose case is expected to be transferred to U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Copyright Associated Press
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