Man Seen in Senate Carrying Zip-Ties Among Those Charged in Riot

11 Jan 2021, 04:10 PM IST

Members of the U.S. National Guard stand behind a security perimeter at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S. (Photographer: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) -- Two men photographed carrying zip-ties in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday were charged Sunday in a federal court in the District of Columbia in connection with the riots.

The charges followed those of three men on Saturday, including a man seen wearing Viking garb and one photographed carrying the Speaker’s lectern in the Capitol while mugging for the camera.

Eric Gavelek Munchel was arrested in Tennessee, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said in a statement Sunday. He was photographed with the restraints in the Senate chamber.

“Photos depicting his presence show a person who appears to be Munchel carrying plastic restraints, an item in a holster on his right hip, and a cell phone mounted on his chest with the camera facing outward, ostensibly to record events that day,” the Attorney’s Office said.

The second man, Larry Rendell Brock, was arrested in Texas. Both face charges of knowingly entering a restricted building and a count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

‘White Flex Cuff’

“It is alleged that Brock was identified as one of the individuals who unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol wearing a green helmet, green tactical vest with patches, black and camo jacket, and beige pants holding a white flex cuff, which is used by law enforcement to restrain and/or detain subjects,” authorities said.

On Saturday, the Justice Department announced the arrest of three men who allegedly took part in the riots at the U.S. Capitol.

Jacob A. Chansley, also known as Jake Angeli, was charged with illegally entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, and with violent entry and disorderly conduct on the Capitol grounds, the department said in a statement on Saturday.

Chansley was identified as the man seen in media coverage who entered the Capitol building shirtless and wearing horns, a bearskin headdress and red-white-and-blue face paint.

Adam Johnson, 36, of Florida was arrested on multiple charges including one count of theft of government property. The U.S. alleged he removed the House Speaker’s lectern from where it was stored on the House side of the Capitol building.

Widely circulated photos showed a man wearing a Trump beanie inside the Capitol, carrying the lectern while smiling and waving.

New Lawmaker

Derrick Evans, 35, of West Virginia, a recently-elected member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, faces illegal-entry and disorderly-conduct charges, the DOJ said Saturday. He streamed a video of himself joining and encouraging a crowd unlawfully entering the U.S. Capitol live on Facebook, according to the department.

In the video, Evans is allegedly seen crossing the threshold of the doorway into the U.S. Capitol and shouting, “We’re in, we’re in! Derrick Evans is in the Capitol!”

Following the announcement of his arrest, Evans resigned from the House of Delegates.

“I take full responsibility for my actions, and deeply regret any hurt, pain or embarrassment I may have caused my family, friends, constituents and fellow West Virginians,” he said in a statement.

All five men charged over the weekend are in custody.