Capitol Rioter Who Led Charge Toward Senate Indicted On 6 Federal Counts
An Iowa man who appeared to lead a group of pro-Trump rioters toward the Senate chamber during last week’s deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol has been indicted on six federal charges.
Doug Jensen, 41, was arrested by the FBI on Saturday after photos and videos on social media showed him storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as part of an insurrectionist mob.
A grand jury indicted Jensen on charges of civil disorder; assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers; entering and remaining in a restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct; violent entry and disorderly conduct; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol.
Jensen had his first court appearance on Tuesday via video conference. He is being held in quarantine at the Polk County Jail in Des Moines, according to The Des Moines Register.
Hundreds of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, inspired by false election fraud claims peddled by the president and other Republicans. The destructive chaos resulted in at least five deaths.
At one point during the attack, Jensen ― who was wearing a shirt referring to the right-wing QAnon conspiracy theory ― led a pack of rioters up a stairwell toward the Senate as U.S. Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman tried to keep them at bay.
The incident was captured by HuffPost’s Igor Bobic in a video that has since gone viral.
Here’s the scary moment when protesters initially got into the building from the first floor and made their way outside Senate chamber. pic.twitter.com/CfVIBsgywK
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 6, 2021
“We’re here for the corrupt government,” Jensen can be heard shouting at Goodman as he runs up the stairs toward the officer.
Goodman has been hailed as a hero for luring the rioters away from the Senate entrance around 2:15 p.m. ET. Vice President Mike Pence wasn’t evacuated from the chamber until about 15 minutes later.
In a criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday, federal agents said Jensen admitted to chasing a Capitol Police officer and refusing to obey his commands. Jensen said he wanted to be recorded wearing his QAnon shirt so that “Q” could “get the credit.”
BREAKING: Criminal complaint for DSM accused Capitol rioter Doug Jensen out. Says he’s an adherent of the QAnon conspiracy theory & admitted to @DMPolice he chased a USCP officer (as seen on video), said he wanted his shirt seen on video so Q could “get the credit.” @KCCINews pic.twitter.com/kFbdmrQ8WR
— Chris Gothner KCCI (@CGothnerKCCI) January 12, 2021
Jensen’s employer, Forrest & Associates Masonry in Des Moines, announced last Friday that he had been fired.
His next court hearing is scheduled for Jan. 19, the Register reported.
Dozens of the other Capitol rioters have been arrested and charged, including many who posed for pictures or posted videos of the attack on social media.
Earlier on Tuesday, the FBI arrested Aaron Mostofsky ― the son of a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge ― in connection with the attack and reportedly charged him with stealing a police shield, remaining on restricted grounds, impeding government business, and unlawful entry.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
