Stepson of former ‘Real Housewives’ star arrested on January 6 charges

The stepson of a former cast member of the Real Housewives of New Jersey has been arrested in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot, according to court filings.

Tyler Campanella, stepson of Sigalit “Siggy” Flicker, was arrested in New York on Wednesday, NBC News reported.

He faces five misdemeanour charges based on his actions on the day that a mob of Donald Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol to stop the certification of electoral college votes for President Joe Biden.

Flicker had posted photos of the events of January 6 on her Instagram account that appeared to show both the inside and outside of the Capitol during the attack on Congress.

The caption read: “I love patriots so much. Stay safe Tyler. We love you,” along with the hashtag “StopTheSteal” and several emojis.

According to an affidavit, the post has since been removed but investigators confirmed that Flicker was the account’s owner.

Flicker is a supporter of Mr Trump and as recently as last month encountered him at Mar-a-Lago.

Phone records indicate that Mr Campanella’s phone was inside the Capitol on January 6 and is associated with Bayside Chrysler, where he is listed as a sales manager, the affidavit states.

The FBI also reviewed open-source videos, as well as pictures and footage available on social media, and observed Mr Campanella inside the Capitol at the height of the riot.

Investigators also spoke with a witness who had known him for six years before January 6 and who identified him from images from January 6. Mr Campanella can be seen wearing a blue baseball hat with “Trump 2020” on the front and a red scarf that at times he uses to cover his nose and mouth.

The same witness said they understood that Mr Campanella had deleted all pictures and posts he took on the day from social media.

A review of surveillance footage shows Mr Campanella entering the Capitol at 2.17pm through the Senate Wing doors. He can also be seen sitting at the base of a statue in the Capitol Crypt, walking through the Rotunda and the Senate Gallery, and then leaving through the Rotunda doors at 2.52pm.

Mr Campanella is accused of violating laws that make it a crime to knowingly enter a restricted building and knowingly impede or disrupt the conduct of government business.

Further, he is accused of willingly remaining in the gallery of either House of Congress; uttering loud, threatening or abusive language in the Capitol; and demonstrating in the Capitol.

Flicker, a friend of Mr Trump’s “legal adviser” Alina Habba, is herself not accused of being at the Capitol that day.

One week after the January 6 riot, she posted a video on X saying she was in Florida at the time and calling any allegations that she was present at the Capitol that day “fake news”.

Mr Campanella’s case will be heard by Judge Moxila Upadhyaya of the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

More than 1,300 people have so been charged with crimes in connection to the Capitol riot.