Two Southern California men were arrested Thursday for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
David Nicholas Dempsey, 34, of Van Nuys, and Jeffrey Scott Brown, 54, of Santa Ana, are charged with federal offenses related to their alleged assault and impediment of certain officers, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Dempsey is charged with use of a dangerous weapon, obstruction of an official proceeding, and civil disorder in addition to assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers. Brown is separately charged with inflicting bodily injury on officers, obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, among other charges.
Both men made their initial court appearances Thursday in the Central District of California. It was not immediately known when they will be arraigned in the District of Columbia.
According to court documents, Dempsey was captured in numerous videos taken on the lower west terrace during the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. As depicted, Dempsey allegedly wore various outfits, but predominantly a black shirt, dark helmet, goggles and an American flag gaiter covering most of his face. He became known online as the #FlagGaiterCopHater, according to an FBI affidavit in the case.
In several still photos, he can be seen using various objects, including a crutch and a metal pole, as bludgeoning weapons or projectiles against the line of law enforcement officers protecting the tunnel in front of the west terrace entrance, prosecutors said.
Additional video footage appears to show Dempsey spraying officers with what is thought to be pepper spray.
He was seen in a YouTube video on the National Mall in the nation’s capitol before the riot in front of a “wooden structure representing a gallows fitted out with a noose,” according to the FBI. Dempsey is seen using crude language to denounce the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Jerry Nadler, saying, “They need to hang from these (expletive)” as he pointed to the gallows, the FBI alleged.
Demsey was also arrested in Santa Monica on Oct. 19, 2019, “for allegedly spraying anti-Trump protesters on the pier with bear spray,” according to the FBI.
According to court documents, Brown was part of the crowd entering the tunnel at the lower west terrace. Video footage shows him reaching through the crowd towards another rioter, who provides him with a can of spray, prosecutors stated.
Brown can then be seen apparently pointing the can toward the police defensive line and deploying the spray for several seconds in the direction of the police. Brown also participated in the pushing action against officers who were attempting to restrict access to the U.S. Capitol, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The cases are being prosecuted in the District of Columbia. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, officials said.
Both cases are being investigated by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Dempsey as #399 and Brown as #172 in posted photos seeking information.
In the seven months since Jan. 6, more than 570 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 170 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
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Elizabeth Martin says
Good news and nice work…may the arrests continue…all those who played a part need to be held accountable.
William says
Including those elected to Congress.
If President Clinton had to be disposed re: Monica then Kevin McCarthy needs to be questioned in a live hearing in Congress as well as others.
bottom and company says
What’s wrong liberal? Raging mobs scare you???
Tim Scott says
lolol…the pretense that you would stand in a raging mob like some sort of rock of ages is absolutely hilarious. Go get ’em Walter Mitty, tell us all about it after.
Trump for Brains says
Yeah, put on some of that Axe bodywash and see if you’re so brave then. You have no idea what terror is really like.
William says
The Trump critter split and didn’t even join them at the Capital and that was before they went into “mob” mentality.
The riots last year in the summer were individuals rooting.
On 1/6, it was a mob, a single organism with 1 mind only. It looked like it was happening in another country or in a movie about the French Revolution.
Funny how idiots fighting for their individualism and freedom ended up being 1 monstrous thing and whatever individualism they thought they had was an illusion. Make that a delusion.
As we find out more about those insurrectionists, they really are nuts. They are Trump’s nuts. Some of his nuts post here for our amusement.
Whatever happend to Yolanda, Yolinda, Melinda, and the rest of those made up people?
Remember? They thought they were onto something with the “National Socialist Democrat” nonsense that was using them.
Trump for Brains says
I’m a Trump nut. Cheer up, you’ll always have me to abuse.
William says
How did that happen to you?
Were you conscious at the time?
Trump for Brains says
A red mosquito bit me.
Tim Scott says
Two of the foot soldiers in the insurrection. Our congressman should intervene on their behalf for his constituent.
We miss Trump p says
Hope all you liberal democrats are enjoying the current situation.
That Joe Biden is one brainless MOFO
Tim Scott says
LOL…well, since Biden is demonstrably smarter than Trump…
Sonya says
Sure guy,
Lol
Tim Scott says
Trump’s IQ is low 90s…the majority of people are smarter than him.
Sonya says
Then have Bidenflation take the same cognitive test that trump took,
Let us know how that works out,
Lol
William says
Hey, Tim
The majority that is smarter than him didn’t vote for him in 2020.
Reminds me of that George Carlin quote I posted here somewhere.
Now, what does that say about the minority that voted for him?
“I love the uneducated.” -Donald J. Trump (famous quote)
Oh, look. Some of them are here.
Tim Scott says
This is like Kevin McCarthy with his “highest inflation on record” when it isn’t even the highest inflation this century, or this decade. “Bidenflation” is just combining the two things the scum at the base of the GOP appreciates…name calling and being lied to.
Be better Sonya.
William says
Sonya. Who is the current legititmate president of the United States?
This a cognitive test for you.
Biden answers it correctly.
Trump thinks he’s the president.
You lose with whatever ignorant notion you thought would pass here.
Please reply. You reply frequently when not asked. I’m asking.
If you answer correctly, you are admitting that Trump doesn’t pass the test and is crazy.
If you answer incorrectly, well then, why aren’t you institutionalized?
William says
Sonya doesn’t answer the Cognitive Test Question.
Wonder why.
Nah, I know why. It was Pu$$y talking. Hers.
Tim Scott says
Oh, hey, killed an ISIS planner after ISIS terrorist attack…it’s like…a measured and targeted response! Man, I guess the days of impotent raging in tweets or targeting “enemies” that furthered presidential crony’s business interests really are behind us.
Trump for Brains says
Enjoy??? Nothing to enjoy for anybody in this mess!!!
Tim Scott says
The GOP is enjoying it. They get to ignore the thousands dead in the war Bush started by focusing on the 13 that were lost ending it and blame those on someone else. They are ghouls and lying to themselves, but they are obviously happy.
Trump for Brains says
Not all GOP, but politics are so nasty nowadays, some will play it for advantage. Dems have no mercy either. I don’t like it. We were the only nation founded on ideas, not tribalism, and it seems to be coming apart.
Tim Scott says
I hate to say this but the only elected GOP official I have seen make any statement on the situation at all that didn’t go off on some “now’s a chance to attack Biden for trying to end Bush’s war” was Mitch McConnell. It is mind boggling how low the GOP has to have sunk for McConnell to be showing up as the best of them.