Off-duty DEA agent brought his government-issued weapon to the Capitol riot, prosecutors say

An off-duty Drug Enforcement Agency special agent carried his government-issued firearm as he witnessed the Jan.6 riot on the U.S. Capitol, according to unsealed court documents Tuesday. Prosecutors say he posed for pictures while displaying his DEA badge and climbed up to the peace monument to film himself as he gave a “monologue.”

Mark Ibrahim, of Orange County, Calif., Was arrested Tuesday and charged with four felonies, including misrepresenting and carrying a firearm on restricted grounds.

Court documents said Ibrahim entered restricted areas outside the United States Capitol shortly after being raped by mobs and posted a photo standing next to one of the metal barricades that had recently been dismantled. Prosecutors also said he sent photos of himself on Capitol Hill to a group chat on WhatsApp that included at least five other law enforcement officers.

One of the officers participating in the conversation wrote: “Question mark, are you carrying your service weapon and badge / credits?” I need to know this brand ”.

Prosecution documents describe Ibrahim as a “probation employee” of the DEA, a federal law enforcement agency within the Justice Department, and said he had notified he planned to resign weeks before the assault on the Capitol. The DEA did not immediately respond to CBS News’s request for comment.

In March, Ibrahim gave a voluntary interview to the Justice Ministry’s Inspector General’s office and allegedly admitted to bringing his DEA credentials, DEA badge and firearm with him on January 6, but denied have them displayed during the event. According to his prosecution documents, he told investigators, “I had my credits. I had my gun and badge with me… But never exhibited… Not to my knowledge.

Prosecutors said several photos showed him posing for the camera while displaying his badge and service weapon.

He also reportedly told investigators that the FBI asked his friend to document the events on Capitol Hill and said he went with his friend to help him in this effort.

The friend, however, told the inspector general’s office agent that he had not been on Capitol Hill in an official capacity for the FBI, and said Ibrahim designed this story to “cover himself up.” the ass “. The friend also said Ibrahim went to the rally to promote himself: he wanted to start a political podcast and cigar brand “Liberty Tavern”, and hoped the protests would be a launching step, the friend said. .

In the afternoon, Ibrahim climbed to the top of the Peace Monument, which stands west of the US Capitol, and filmed himself “delivering a monologue,” prosecutors said. Bike rack barricades had previously surrounded the peace monument, but Ibrahim’s video showed they had been dismantled.

After Ashli ​​Babbitt was shot by police that afternoon, prosecutors said she was carried “a short walk” from Ibrahim as she was loaded into an ambulance. Ibrahim’s friend, who was standing near him, filmed her as she walked past them, and Ibrahim posted the video on his WhatsApp group chat, according to court documents.

Ibrahim was also reportedly pictured carrying two flags: a so-called “Troutman Flag” which bears the words “Liberty or Death” and a so-called “Betsy Ross”, which some associates with the era of slavery.