Retired New York firefighter charged in connection with U.S. Capitol riot

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Thomas Fee has been charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a building or restricted land without legal authorization and with violent entry and disorderly conduct on the Capitol grounds, according to a criminal complaint filed on Saturday.

Frank Dwyer, an FDNY spokesperson, confirmed to CNN that Fee had worked for the department for 22 years and had retired in October.

An anonymous witness, described as a special agent for the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service in a court case, reported to the federal Joint Task Force on Terrorism that her spouse saw a post by Fee’s girlfriend on Facebook stating that he was “at the rally,” the complaint says.

According to the file, the anonymous witness texted Fee, asking if he was at the rally, and Fee allegedly said he was and then sent a photo of himself from inside the rotunda. from the Capitol. The witness initially deleted the photo but was able to recover it, according to the complaint.

The complaint also describes a Fee video allegedly sent to a witness that shows numerous people inside the Capitol rotunda “who do not appear to have permission to be present”, shouting the words “tyranny” and “Pelosi”.

Fee allegedly texted the witness to tell him he was “at the tip of the spear” after sending the video, according to the complaint.

Fee has yet to be arrested, according to federal prosecutors in New York. CNN has reached out to Fee for comment.

The charge comes on top of a growing list of charges leveled against participants in the riot earlier this month, which left five people dead and sparked a firestorm in the nation’s capital. Washington, DC prosecutors have already charged about 100 people related to the riot, and there are more than 275 investigations opened into potential criminal activity that day, Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin said Friday.

Dwyer said in a statement to CNN that the FDNY had cooperated with law enforcement investigations into allegations of possible involvement of serving or retired members in the riot.

“The Department received anonymous allegations that active or retired members were present at the events on the United States Capitol on January 6 and, as requested, provided this information to the FBI,” Dwyer said in the statement.

FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said in a separate statement last week that if his department “respects the right of all members to take and personally support social and political positions,” members “must act with the utmost discretion and respect for others “and ensure that they obey the laws.

“Members of the department, whether active or retired, should not adopt conduct that tends to discredit the department or that disrupts discipline and good order in the department,” the statement said.

CNN’s Devan Cole contributed to this report.

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