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The uncle of a Missouri woman accused of participating in the riot at the United States Capitol last month is now charged himself.
A federal complaint against William Merry Jr. of St. Louis County was released Thursday evening. Merry is the uncle of Emily Hernandez, 21, of Sullivan, who was charged on January 16.
Federal prosecutors allege Merry and Hernandez were among hundreds of supporters of former President Donald Trump who stormed the Capitol on January 6 after Trump spoke at a rally, forcing lawmakers to walk away. hide. A Capitol policeman was among the five people who died.
A charge document says video and photos show both Hernandez and Merry, wearing a ‘Trump 2020’ hat, holding a broken piece of nameplate outside the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi . The document states that several tipsters provided information that contributed to Merry’s arrest.
Merry is charged with theft of government property, knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building, disorderly conduct interfering with the conduct of government business, and disruptive conduct in the Capitol buildings.
Merry’s lawyer, Ethan Corlija, said Merry was taken into custody on Thursday after police searched his home. He said Merry, who is in her sixties, looks forward to “someday that I can get over this.”
“He’s not the kind of person who believes in any violence or any conduct that would harm anyone, so it’s a bit atypical for him,” Corlija said on Friday. “He believes he had the right to attend a rally and express his political beliefs as we all do, but he does not condone any type of violence or destruction of property or any type of insurgency in any way. of the government.”
Another Saint-Louis-area man, Paul Westover, 52, of Lake Saint-Louis in Saint-Charles County, was charged with four counts on Thursday for his alleged role in the riot. A fourth Missourian, Zachary Martin of Springfield, is accused of engaging in illegal activities on Capitol grounds, disorderly conduct and protesting inside the Capitol.
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