Protesters supporting US President Donald Trump invaded the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC.
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A Dallas-area man who joined a violent crowd that invaded the US Capitol earlier this month was accused of making a death threat in a social media post against Congressman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Garret Miller, 34, of Richardson, Texas, was arrested earlier this week on several charges related to the Capitol riot, according to a federal complaint.
Miller’s lawyer, Clinton Broden, told CNBC that the charges against his client were updated to include a threat charge on Tuesday, the day before he was arrested in Richardson. The updated charge came relatively soon after the initial complaint was filed in the federal court in Washington, DC, said Broden.
Other fees include entry or stay in any buildings or restricted areas without legal authority; violent entry and disorderly conduct on the Capitol grounds; obstruct or prevent any official procedure and certain acts during civil disorder.
The threat charge against Miller is based on prosecutors’ claim that he threatened Representative Ocasio Cortez, DN.Y., across state borders on social media. This carries a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison.
Miller wrote “Assassinate AOC” in a Twitter post, according to the complaint. Miller also reportedly posted about entering the Capitol building on his Instagram account and admitted that “there was a rope in the [his] scholarship that day. “
Miller also threatened a Capitol Police officer who killed a woman trying to break into the Capitol building during the riot. “We will make it [the USCP officer] and hug your neck with a beautiful rope[.]”Said Miller, according to the complaint.
“Mr. Miller regrets the actions he took in a misguided effort to show his support for former President Trump,” said Broden. “He has the full support of his family and has always been a law-abiding citizen.”
“Your comments on social media reflect a political hyperbole that is badly considered in very divided times and will certainly not be repeated in the future,” continued Broden. “He is looking forward to leaving it all behind.”
Broden added that he does not believe there is evidence that Miller planned to carry out the threats.
Miller is due to appear on Monday for a detention hearing in Dallas federal court. Prosecutors said they want him to be detained pending trial, but Broden said he will defend Miller ‘s conditional release pending trial in Washington.
Ocasio-Cortez responded to the complaint by detailing Miller allegedly bragging online about his role in the riot, writing in a tweet: “On the one hand, you have to laugh, and on the other, to know that the reason they are so brazen is because they thought that they were going to succeed. “
Ocasio-Cortez had previously said that he feared for his life during the riot and that members of Congress were “almost murdered”.
“I didn’t know if I could make it through that alive day, and not just in a general sense, but also in a very, very specific sense,” said the Democratic representative in an Instagram Live video on January 12, without detailing the details. .