WASHINGTON — More than three years after the Jan. 6, 2021 breach at the U.S. Capitol, a Kirtland man has been arrested for felony and misdemeanor charges related to the assault.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced that 25-year-old Michael Picciuto has been charged with the following:
- Civil disorder
- Destruction or injury to buildings or property in special maritime and territorial jurisdiction
- Entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds
- Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds
- Engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds
- Violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds
- Act of physical violence on Capitol grounds
- Parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building
The Justice Department says Picciuto was identified on U.S. Capitol closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage entering the U.S. Capitol building at approximately 2:33 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, through the Upper West Terrace Door and carrying an American flag.
After entering, investigators say Picciuto headed toward the Rotunda and entered into a hallway on the second floor until his progress was halted by a line of police officers who attempted to keep rioters from moving deeper into the building. According to the Justice Department, body camera footage shows Picciuto falling to the ground and then standing up again. Rather than retreat, Picciuto allegedly stood at the front of a line of rioters that faced off with police and resisted police efforts to clear the hallway.
After a standoff, the rioters and police got into a physical scuffle. Police sprayed rioters with repellent, which dispersed the crowd. Picciuto allegedly continued to resist police efforts to clear hallways and was eventually directed by police into the Rotunda before he left the U.S. Capitol at around 3:12 p.m.
DOJ officials say Picciuto stayed within the restricted perimeter of the U.S. Capitol grounds on the north side. At approximately 4:39 p.m., Picciuto allegedly resisted the officers' attempts to clear rioters from the area and made physical contact with at least one officer. Another rioter apparently separated Picciuto from the officer, and Picciuto is then accused of challenging the officer to a physical fight, yelling expletives and stating, "Take it off, b—Take the f— armor off.”
Investigators say Picciuto later walked to the media pen on the Capitol lawn, where rioters had chased away members of the news media. According to the Justice Department, at approximately 4:52 p.m., Picciuto can be seen breaking apart, pouring water, and stomping on media equipment belonging to the Associated Press.
The Justice Department reports that over 1,200 people have been charged for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol.