Federal agents arrested an Alabama man linked to Oath Keepers, a far-right militia group with alleged ties to Roger Stone, for allegedly breaking into the US Capitol during the January riot, officials said on Tuesday.
Joshua A. James, a 33-year-old resident of Arab, Alabama, has been accused of obstructing an official case and entering a restricted building, according to a federal complaint filed on Tuesday in the United States District Court.
In court documents, federal officials said James is the owner of a cleaning company, America Pro Hydro Services, and was in Washington, DC, on January 6 wearing “an Oath Keepers baseball cap” and “a black blouse. long sleeve with an Oath Keepers Patch on the sleeve. “
The Oath Keepers is a group that asked former President Donald Trump to invoke the Insurrection Law and send special forces and militia members to confiscate US electoral systems and suppress “domestic enemies”.
The New York Times and other media reported last month that Oath Keepers were reportedly seen providing security to Stone – a longtime adviser to Trump, a convicted criminal who describes himself as a “dirty cheater” – near the White House in the morning of January 6. .
Photos from that pre-riot demonstration showed James and other Oath Keepers providing security “for a speaker at the ‘Stop the Steal’ events planned for that day,” according to the criminal complaint.
Trump and his supporters have used the phrase “stop the theft” to promote false conspiracy theories that President Joe Biden did not win the November election.
“James and other Oath Keepers invaded the Capitol, forcing the suspension of the Electoral College’s vote certification,” according to the complaint.
James was wearing “military-style attire and equipment” with the Oath Keepers logo on photos that showed him outside and inside the Capitol that day, the complaint said.
James’ federal public defender could not be reached immediately for comment on Wednesday and no one answered his business.
His bail hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Birmingham.
Helen Kwong contributed.