A Tampa Bay area rabbi became the last person with ties to Florida to be arrested for his alleged role in the United States Capitol riot in early January.
NBC affiliate WFLA-TV reports that the United States Department of Justice filed several charges against Michael Stepakoff, which was filmed by the group that broke into the building on January 6.º after a demonstration for former President Donald Trump.
Stepakoff is the rabbi of Temple New Jerusalem, a messianic synagogue located in Palm Harbor.
DOJ documents say Stepakoff can be seen on a surveillance video in the Capitol building, taking pictures with his cell phone after entering. Stepakoff later posted photos on social media, including a photo of him with a large group.
Someone who knew Stepakoff more than 20 years later identified him with the authorities.
“I’m not sure to what extent his presence there makes him guilty of a crime,” said Stepakoff’s lawyer, Rick Terrana. “He just followed the crowd to the capital with the intention of being nothing more than a spectator and ended up going to the capital after it opened, about an hour after that incident that we all saw on TV.”
Stepakoff appeared in court on Friday on charges that included intentionally entering or staying in any restricted building or land without legal authority and knowingly engaging in disorderly or disturbing conduct in any restricted building or land.
He was released on $ 25,000 bail and ordered to hand over all firearms.