An Iowa mother and son were arrested on Friday in connection with the January 6 riot at the United States Capitol by a pro-Trump crowd, the FBI said.
Deborah Sandoval of Des Moines and Salvador Sandoval Jr. of neighboring Ankeny were arrested on federal warrants, the FBI said in a statement.
The duo appears to be at least the second mother and son to be arrested in connection with the riot, which occurred when Congress was about to count the electoral votes that confirmed President Joe Biden’s victory over then President Donald Trump.
Both Sandovals face charges that include violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds; and enter or remain in any restricted building or land without legal authority, according to the FBI.
Deborah Sandoval also faces a charge of preventing or interrupting the government’s orderly conduct, and her son can be accused of obstructing, preventing or interfering with law enforcement.
But what exactly they were supposed to do that day is unclear. The court documents that would normally explain the facts of the case appeared to be sealed, according to online records.
It appears from the records that both were also released from custody. An e-mail to a federal public defender listed as their representative at a hearing on Friday was not immediately returned.
A voicemail left with a number that appears to belong to Deborah Sandoval was not returned on Friday night, and her son’s phone number was not found immediately.
The riot resulted in five deaths, including a Capitol police officer. Trump was impeached due to an article that accused him of “inciting insurrection”, but was acquitted by the Senate, which failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority. Seven Republican senators voted for the condemnation.
Another mother and son, Leslie Marie Eisenhart and Eric Gavelek Munchel were also charged with connection to the Capitol riot.
Eric Munchel, from Tennessee, was seen in a widely publicized photo inside the plastic-constrained Senate chamber and was called a “zip tie guy” by some.
A father and son, James Uptmore and Chance Uptmore, from Texas, were also charged, as were another pair of father and son, Kevin Seefried and Hunter Seefried, from Delaware.
More than 200 people were federally charged in the riot.
