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Home · News

First Capitol Police Officer Indicted For Role In Insurrection After Encouraging Rioter To Hide Evidence

Officer Michael A. Riley accused of obstruction of justice for instructing rioter to hide evidence of their presence at the Capitol on January 6.
First Capitol Police Officer Indicted For Role In Insurrection After Encouraging Rioter To Hide Evidence
Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/For The Washington Post via Getty Images
By Malaika Jabali · Updated October 15, 2021

It’s almost the end of the year, but the drama from January’s Capitol insurrection is still unfolding.

A 25-year veteran of the Capitol Police Department, Michael A. Riley, instructed a rioter to remove incriminating photos and videos showing him inside the Capitol during the January 6 attack, AP News reports.

Riley slid into the rioter’s DMs and, among dozens of messages, told the rioter he was an officer who “agrees with your political stance” and advised him that the FBI was working to identify rioters.

Federal prosecutors have since indicted Riley for obstruction of justice, making him the first to be charged with a crime involving the insurrection.

According to a January AP survey of law enforcement, at least 31 officers in 12 states are being scrutinized by their supervisors for their behavior in DC or face criminal charges for participation in the January 6 riot.

A Congressional Committee on the January 6 attack formed in July to investigate what transpired. Last week, the Committee issued subpoenas to obtain records from Stop the Steal LLC which organized a rally near the White House preceding the attack.

“The rally on the Capitol grounds on January 6th, like the rally near the White House that day, immediately preceded the violent attack on the seat of our democracy,” Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said in a statement Thursday, as per Roll Call. “Over the course of that day, demonstrations escalated to violence and protestors became rioters. The Select Committee needs to understand all the details about the events that came before the attack, including who was involved in planning and funding them. We expect these witnesses to cooperate fully with our probe.”

Officer Riley appeared virtually in federal court and was ordered to return later in October. He was released with several conditions, including that he surrender any firearms and not travel out of the country without a judge’s permission.

TOPICS:  Capitol Riot
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