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A Colorado geophysicist allegedly dragged a police officer up a flight of stairs during the Jan.6 riot on Capitol Hill – then bought a plane ticket to Switzerland and attempted suicide in Westchester County in the days that followed followed the siege, it was revealed in court on Friday.
Jeffrey Sabol, 51, was ordered to be held without bail during his initial appearance in federal court in White Plains, where a judge called the evidence against him “very disturbing and deeply disturbing.”
“This conduct is beyond pale,” Judge Andrew Krause said.
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Sabol, who grew up in upstate New York, was reportedly caught on camera in the frenzied crowd on Capitol Hill, leading a policeman down a staircase during the riot. The officer was then beaten by crowds of Trump supporters, including a rioter with an American flag, a prosecutor said in court.
Footage also shows Sabol holding a police baton to an officer’s neck during the siege, Deputy U.S. Attorney Ben Gianforte said in court proceedings on Friday.
Prosecutors believe Sabol snatched the club from another officer in the fray, which could lead to additional charges being filed against him.
Sabol admitted to running into a police officer during the riot, but claimed to be in a “fit of rage,” Gianforte said.
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After the riot, Sabol traveled to the New York City area, where he was considering fleeing the country and attempting suicide, prosecutors say.
At one point, while in Westchester County after the riot, he bought a plane ticket to Zurich, Switzerland, a country not extradited with the United States, Gianforte said.
“He actually tried to flee the country,” he said. “He’s buying a ticket to a place where he thinks he won’t be sent home to face the music.”
Supporters of Donald Trump attempt to break through a police barrier at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.AP / Julio Cortez
He was arrested by the FBI on Friday morning at Westchester County Medical Center, where he was recovering from his attempted suicide.
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The public defender who represented Sabol at the hearing highlighted his work and ties to the community in seeking his release on bail.
Attorney Jason Ser argued that Sabol is an accomplished geophysicist who lived for many years in Colorado after moving to New York State.
Sabol lives with her partner, who works at an elementary school, and has three teenagers, Ser said.
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