Florida man pictured with Nancy Pelosi’s lectern during Capitol riots is arrested
Adam Johnson, 36, is under arrest for allegedly being the man seen in the viral image holding Nancy Pelosi’s lectern
(Getty Images)A man photographed carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern through the halls of the US Capitol has since been arrested, according to law enforcement records.
Adam Johnson, 36, Parrish, Florida, is being held in Pinellas County Jail following his alleged involvement in the riots at the US Capitol on 6 January. He was booked at the jail at 9pm on Friday night and has been held there under a US Marshall's warrant.
An image of a man waving at cameras while holding Ms Pelosi’s lectern went viral on social media. The man, identified by local newspaper The Bradenton Herald and other news outlets as Mr Johnson, was wearing a Donald Trump beanie hat.
Mr Johnson is married to a physician and has five children, Florida’s WFLA News Channel 8 reports. The man is a registered voter with no party affiliation, but he has voted in the general elections from 2004 to 2020.
On the day of the riots, Mr Johnson reportedly shared multiple images of himself at the US Capitol. His account has since been deleted.
The charges Mr Johnson could face have yet to be revealed and the location of the lectern is not yet known.
The arrest comes after the FBI released a call for the public to share any images or information from the Capitol riots so they could identify the offenders.
In the days following the riots, authorities have made several arrests in states across the country. Richard Barnett, 60, from Gravette, Arkansas, was one individual who allegedly entered the Capitol building and has since been arrested, according to the Justice Department.
Mr Barnett went viral for multiple pictures during the riot, including one with his feet up on Ms Pelosi’s desk and another one showing him holding the lawmaker’s mail. He has been charged with theft of public property, among other offences.
Derrick Evans, a West Virginia Republican state lawmaker, has also been charged for the day’s events. He shared several images and videos of himself outside the Capitol and then walking into the building.
The current FBI investigation will likely be sweeping, as more and more people face charges for their involvement in the riots.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike have called for the people involved in the Wednesday riot to face criminal prosecution to the full extent of the law.
These offenders could see a variety of charges like trespassing and damaging federal property. But some could also experience more serious offences involving firearms and explosive devices. If convicted, they could face years in federal prison.
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