N. GA man who said he could’ve burnt Capitol to the ground takes plea over Jan. 6 insurrection

Scott Flynn
·2 min read
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A North Georgia man who was arrested more than three years after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in January 2021, has taken a guilty plea.

Arrest warrants were issued in January for Zylas “Zee” Hamilton, of Blue Ridge, charging him with knowingly entering any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly conduct in a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, parading demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol Building.

According to the warrants obtained by Channel 2 Action News, Hamilton posted on Facebook that he was in the Capitol on Jan. 6 and “rushed” at officers.

A Facebook Live video on his page showed Hamilton inside the building. He was also spotted on several surveillance cameras inside and outside of the Capitol Building.

The U.S. Department of Justice obtained copies of his phone records, which showed him talking about being inside during the insurrection.

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“I’ll die or do 20 years before my kids grow up in the country these people are trying to [create],” he said in response to someone telling him to remove his posts so he would not be caught.

“Honestly, a window was broken. We could have burnt that place to the ground,” he wrote in another message. “[Former President Donald Trump] didn’t promote the violence or condone it. We made that decision ourselves.”

Hamilton also claimed that he was maced, tear gassed and shot with a rubber bullet in the shoulder.

Hamilton pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and illegally demonstrating. Prosecutors agreed to drop two other misdemeanor charges in exchange for his guilty plea.

Hamilton faces up to six months in prison and five years on probation when he is sentenced in August.

He is one of dozens of Georgians arrested related to the Jan. 6 insurrection.

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