America watched hordes of protesters broke into the US Capitol on January 6 – smashing windows, pressing stairs up and sending lawmakers and policemen running for their lives. The flood of protesters who invaded the Capitol that day left federal prosecutors with an equally immense task: finding and prosecuting those responsible.
Earlier this month, acting US Attorney Michael Sherwin said, “The scope and scale of this investigation in these cases is truly unprecedented, not just in the history of the FBI, but probably in the history of the DOJ.”
As of Thursday, federal prosecutors have charged at least 205 people for their alleged roles in the riot and opened more than 400 investigations into possible criminals.
As the police continue to arrest alleged attackers, here’s what CBS News found out about the people who were arrested:
How many were charged?
On Thursday, a DOJ spokesman told CBS News that federal authorities accused at least 205 people and returned 35 charges. CBS News has examined the indictment documents of 188 federal defendants, 33 of whom have been indicted, whose cases have been reported in federal court.
Common charges
The FBI told CBS News on Thursday that 40 people were arrested for assaulting police officers. The crime carries penalties ranging from one to 20 years, depending on the circumstances of the assault.
Although many of the alleged protesters were initially charged with minor crimes, such as trespassing, prosecutors continued to add serious criminal charges to these cases as the evidence became available. Sherwin said that “almost all” the cases that federal prosecutors have accused involved “significant federal crimes”, with potential sentences ranging from five to 20 years.
Federal prosecutors have accused at least 83 people of “violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds”, a crime that carries a possible sentence of no more than six months in prison, or even five years if paired with an arms violation.
At least seven people have been charged with theft of government property, including Aaron Mostofsky, who was photographed with a Capitol Police riot shield and bulletproof vest and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
How many served in the army?
At least 16 of the prisoners are veterans and two are serving in the Army Reserve, according to military service records and court documents obtained by CBS News.
Of the 18, eight served in the United States Navy, seven served in the Army, two served in the Navy and one in the Air Force.
The Army Reserve shared the following statement with CBS News: “The US Army Reserve takes all allegations of involvement of soldiers or Army civilians in extremist groups seriously and will address this issue in accordance with Army regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice to ensure due process. Ideologies and extremist activities are directly opposed to our values and beliefs and those who adhere to extremism have no place in our ranks. “
Where did they come from?
The alleged protesters come from at least 40 states outside Washington, DC Among the prisoners whose home states were known, the majority were from Texas, with 22 Texans accused so far. New York and Florida each had 14 residents arrested. Other well-represented states include California with 11 inmates, Pennsylvania with 10 inmates, New Jersey with nine inmates and Virginia with nine inmates.
How many worked in law enforcement?
At least four people worked as policemen at the time when they allegedly participated in the riot and since then, everyone has quit their jobs. Houston Police Officer Tam Dinh Pham and Monmouth County Correctional Officer Marissa Suarez resigned after they were arrested, and two Virginia Police Officers they were fired after prosecutors accused them of their alleged conduct on Capitol Hill. In addition, a Florida firefighter was also arrested for his participation in the riot.
How many have extremist affiliations?
The authorities connected at least 25 alleged protesters to extremist groups, including the Proud boys, Oath Keepers, Three percent, Texas Freedom Force and the conspiracy group QAnon.
How many were women?
Although the prisoners in the January 6 crowd were mostly men, at least 23 women were arrested for their alleged participation.
How many years were these prisoners?
Among the 61 defendants whose ages are known, the average age was 42. The alleged youngest known troublemaker is 20 years old Emanuel Jackson, a Maryland man who prosecutors say hit the police with a baton. The oldest was Lonnie Coffman, 70, an Alabama man who, according to authorities, brought a car full of weapons and explosives to Washington, DC
How many were released?
At least 75 people were sent home after paying bail or agreeing to a supervised release.
How much evidence is there?
The federal police issued more than 500 subpoenas to the grand jury and search warrants, and the FBI received more than 200,000 digital media tips from people hoping to share evidence of the riot.
Recent updates on notable cases
On January 29, federal prosecutors indicted two members of the New York Proud Boys after saying that the men conspired to prevent law enforcement.
The FBI increased the reward offered for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons who left bombs in Washington on January 6.
A Capitol riot known as “QAnon Shaman” offered to witness at the next meeting of former President Trump impeachment trial.
What happens next?
Sherwin said in January that the rapid rate of arrests will soon begin to stabilize, as prosecutors stop accusing the easily identifiable “internet stars” who have appeared in photos and on social media and begin to build more complicated conspiracy cases related coordinating militia groups during the attack.
Paulina Smolinski contributed to this report.