Columbus man and former congressional candidate charged in Jan. 6 assault on U.S. Capitol

Shahid Meighan, Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·2 min read
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Cleophus Dulaney, 63, of Columbus, a former Republican candidate for Ohio's 3rd Congressional District, has been charged by the FBI with several felony and misdemeanor charges for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Cleophus Dulaney, 63, of Columbus, a former Republican candidate for Ohio's 3rd Congressional District, has been charged by the FBI with several felony and misdemeanor charges for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

A Columbus man and former Republican congressional candidate has become the latest Ohioan arrested by the FBI on suspicion of being involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Cleophus Dulaney, 63, was arrested Friday in Columbus, where records indicate he has lived in the Hungarian Village neighborhood. He has been charged with obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, all felonies, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington.

In addition, Dulaney faces several misdemeanor charges, including: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in the Capitol grounds or buildings and acts of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

Dulaney joins more than 60 Ohioans who have been charged by the FBI for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

In court documents, prosecutors allege that Dulaney, who was at the front of a crowd of rioters trying to stop the electoral college certification of President Joe Biden, became confrontational with Capitol police officers as the rioters approached a barricade made out of bike racks.

Federal authorities say Cleophus Dulaney, 63, of Columbus, is seen here (circled) in this photo removing a bike rack barricade to allow a mob of rioters to storm the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
Federal authorities say Cleophus Dulaney, 63, of Columbus, is seen here (circled) in this photo removing a bike rack barricade to allow a mob of rioters to storm the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

The rioters pushed and pulled on the barricade until it came apart, driving the barricade into the officers and attacking them. Prosecutors alleged that Dulaney moved the bike racks to the side and made a pathway for the crowd of rioters to advance on the Capitol.

The rioters approached another barrier that was manned by police. As officers retreated, the mob, with Dulaney at the front, broke through the barricade as the crowd chanted "USA USA USA!" and "OUR HOUSE!" Dulaney, who was still in the crowd, reached over rioters as they dismantled another bike rack being used as a barrier and rammed it into police officers, injuring at least two.

Investigators were able to identify Columbus resident Cleophus Dulaney via his social media accounts, including Facebook and Parlor.
Investigators were able to identify Columbus resident Cleophus Dulaney via his social media accounts, including Facebook and Parlor.

Investigators were able to identify Dulaney via open-source video of the insurrection and his social media accounts, including Parlor. In one screenshot included in the charging documents, a Parlor user named "cleophusdulaney" admitted to being at the Capitol and stoking the violence, according to court records.

In several online spaces, Dulaney was known as "#BlueVelvetRioter" for his velvet do-rag, according to court records.

Dulaney ran for Ohio's 3rd Congressional District seat in 2020. He lost to Mark Richardson in the Republican primary.

@ShahidMeighan

smeighan@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus man and former congressional candidate charged in Jan. 6 riot