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A New Jersey man who is a US Navy contractor with a “secret” security clearance has been charged with taking part in the US Capitol riot, federal officials have said.
Timothy Louis Hale-Cusanelli, 30 – described as an “avowed white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer” in court documents – is said to have told other pro-Trump rioters “to move on” during the deadly Jan.6 siege.
He was charged Friday with five federal charges, including: knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted-access building without legal authorization; disorderly conduct on the Capitol grounds; disrupt the orderly conduct of government affairs; march, demonstrate or picket in a Capitol building; and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
US Army Reservist Hale-Cusanelli works at Earle Naval Weapons Base at Colts Neck, where he has access to “a variety of ammunition,” according to an affidavit filed in US District Court in Washington, DC
The Navy’s Criminal Investigation Service began investigating Hale-Cusanelli after receiving advice from an informant who said the Colts Neck man confessed to breaking into the Capitol.
Hale-Cusanelli allegedly showed informants videos of himself “making harassing and derogatory statements to Capitol Hill police in and outside the Capitol building,” the affidavit states.
In a recorded conversation with the informant on Thursday, Hale-Cusanelli admitted to encouraging other members of the crowd to “move forward – giving instructions both by voice and by hand signals,” according to court documents.
He said that “if they had had more men they could have taken over the whole building,” the affidavit states.
Hale-Cusanelli also allegedly admitted to taking a flag and flag pole that he saw another rioter throw “like a javelin” at a Capitol policeman.
He said he wanted to get rid of the flag and pole as soon as he could, describing it as a “murder weapon,” the affidavit states.
The informant described Hale-Cusanelli as a white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer known to “offer extreme political views and views,” on a YouTube channel called the “Based Hermes Show” and other online forums.
Before heading to the rally and protesting on January 6, 2021, Hale-Cusanelli wrote, ‘Trust the plan, it’s the final countdown, stay tuned for the next episode’ and ‘Trust the plan. plan, major announcement soon, ”the court said. State.
Hale-Cusanelli was arrested on Friday. It was not known if he had a lawyer on Sunday.
According to an Associated Press review, at least 22 current or former members of the US military or law enforcement have been identified as being at or near the riot.
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