Key takeaways from Wednesday’s developments in the Capitol riots investigation

Many of those recently charged have drawn attention to themselves by posing in photographs that have circulated on the internet or that have been tagged (or identified) on social media. Some have even admitted to being involved in the FBI melee.

The new cases that are unfolding still largely target people captured in photos or videos.

Evidence suggests planning, law enforcement says

Attention is likely to turn to cases with potentially more serious charges in the coming weeks.

This sparked more complex investigations, where public integrity and national security prosecutors gathered to approach the investigation as a sprawling terrorism investigation.

The presence of prosecutors and corruption officers can be explained in part by their expertise in financial investigations. “We are tracking the money,” the official said.

On Wednesday morning, the FBI reported that it had received more than 126,000 digital tips from the public regarding the Capitol Attack and was following the discussions online.

Among the advice the FBI received was some that appeared to show members of Congress people who later showed up at the Capitol Riot, two law enforcement officials said. This does not mean that members of Congress and staff are under investigation, but the FBI is verifying the veracity of the allegations, officials said.

Court documents reveal chilling details of threats

A few cases have highlighted the level of danger around the Capitol last week. In particular, two defendants, Cleveland Meredith Jr. and Lonnie Coffman, are said to have brought arsenals to the city with interest in joining a so-called war.

Coffman received one of the first indictments from a riot-related grand jury, and now faces 17 counts, largely for possession of multiple weapons, including ammunition, cartridges shotgun and various firearms, including a shotgun, rifle, three pistols and 11 unregistered Molotov cocktails in Washington, DC, Jan.6, according to the indictment.

He reportedly parked his bomb-filled truck at blocks of the Capitol building before Trump’s rally, after living in the truck in Washington for about a week. In court documents regarding Coffman, prosecutors have revealed they found handwritten notes of a quote from Abraham Lincoln on overthrowing “men who pervert the Constitution,” phone numbers of right-wing figures including Senator Ted Cruz and Sean Hannity, and a list labeling a federal government. judge a “bad guy” and a member of Congress as a Muslim. He has pleaded not guilty and is in jail awaiting trial.

Meredith allegedly uttered threats in a text message and had 2,500 rounds, an assault rifle and another firearm with him in town.

He arrived in Washington, DC, after the pro-Trump rally, and reportedly happily texted about the shooting of DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. He wrote about the “time of war” against lawmakers as Congress confirms Joe Biden as the president-elect approaches, prosecutors said, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

“The accused sent a message saying, ‘We are going to circle DC and squeeze in slowly,'” prosecutors noted, pleading for his detention. “Apparently, under the impression that the police were monitoring his communications, the accused later sent a message saying: ‘I am harmless … I will not shoot until the SIR is ordered. ! ‘”

Once Meredith was in town, he allegedly hit someone on the head and assaulted someone, prosecutors added.

“His threats were graphic – he threatened to shoot an official live on television, to put a bullet in his head. His threats were vulgar and misogynistic. Moreover, the accused obviously took great pleasure in considering violence, which he described as “fun” and “targeted practice,” “they wrote in his detention memo.

The DOJ wants to prevent people from leaving the streets …

At least some of the arrests already made are part of a strategy used in counterterrorism investigations – to find even a minimal charge to get a concerned person off the streets. It could help allay concerns about possible attacks on the inauguration, officials say.

Authorities attempted this once last week before the pro-Trump rally in Washington, when they arrested right-wing Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio for burning a Black Lives Matter banner.

Law enforcement officials then said they found two high-capacity gun magazines on him, resulting in additional charges. And this week, federal authorities in New York City arrested a man accused of weapons after investigators pursued online posts about an armed trailer heading for the U.S. Capitol.

But his strategy may have limits

The Justice Department could run up against the potential limits of the law in trying to keep some people locked up – with Meredith their first challenge.

The possibility arose on Wednesday when a judge rejected their request to keep him in detention.

Meredith’s attorney had argued that keeping him locked up just because of perceived “dangerousness” is not sufficient under the law.

“Congress has limited the government’s ability to seek detention,” Meredith’s lawyer wrote in a court filing Wednesday afternoon, citing limitations in the bail reform law that defendants can be held in custody. prison must be because they present a risk of flight, potentially obstructing or charged with crimes of violence, a drug-related offense or an offense which could merit a sentence of life imprisonment or death.

Meredith’s attorney has argued he should be released pending trial.

Meredith has not yet been charged and was arrested last week on a criminal complaint alleging that he illegally possessed weapons and made threats.

He is still in custody and is due to appear before Judge Michael Harvey in Washington, DC, again on Thursday to see if he should remain in custody.