Capitol Siege: Man Photographed Sitting Behind Pelosi's Desk During Riot Arrested In Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK (CBS SF) -- The man photographed sitting at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk during the capitol riots has been arrested in Arkansas, according to federal authorities.
After the day of chaos in D.C., the photo of the man casually sitting in the San Francisco representative's office with his boots propped up on her desk was one of many images of the riot to go viral.
CBS sister station in Arkansas 5NEWS identified the man as Richard Barnett. According to the Department of Justice, he has been arrested in Little Rock, Arkansas.
"I threw my feet up on the desk at that point," Barnett told 5NEWS. "I realized some a--holes had cut me also and I bled on her envelope. So I picked up the envelope and put it in my pocket, and I put a quarter on the desk cause I'm not a thief."
According to the Justice Department, Barnett is charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and theft of public money, property, or records.
If convicted, Barnett faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties, the release from the Justice Department said.
"The shocking images of Mr. Barnett with his boots up on a desk in the Speaker of the House's office on Wednesday was repulsive," said acting Attorney General of the United States Jeffrey A. Rosen in a release issued by the Justice Department. "Those who are proven to have committed criminal acts during the storming of the Capitol will face justice."
According to CBS station WUSA9, Barnett said he traveled to Washington to hear the president speak, and was pushed inside the Capitol when rioters broke through the doors. He said he found Pelosi's office sometime later, carried a flag inside and left her a note, before being removed by Capitol Police.
Barnett is expected to make his initial appearance Friday in federal court. He will ultimately be extradited to Washington, D.C., the Justice Department said.
