Capitol riots: Man who sat at desk in Pelosi’s office put under house arrest
An Arkansas man photographed sitting at a desk in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office during the riot at the U.S. Capitol last week has been put under House arrest as he awaits trial
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An Arkansas man photographed sitting at a desk in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office during the riot at the U.S. Capitol last week was put under house arrest Friday as he awaits trial.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Erin Wiedemann set a $5,000 bond for Richard Barnett, and confined him to his home in Gravette, Arkansas, with a GPS monitor to track his location. Wiedemann also prohibited Barnett from using the internet or having contact with anyone else who participated in the Jan. 6 violence.
Federal prosecutors indicated the Justice Department planned to appeal the order and asked Wiedemann to stay her decision. Barnett was set to be released on Saturday.
Barnett was among supporters of President Donald Trump who stormed the Capitol. Five people died because of the protest and violence, including a Capitol police officer.
Barnett is charged with unlawfully entering a restricted area with a lethal weapon — in this case, a stun gun. Barnett also is charged with disorderly conduct and theft of public property.
He surrendered voluntarily Jan. 8 to FBI agents at the Benton County Sheriff’s Office in Bentonville, Arkansas, and has remained in the Washington County jail since then.
During a nearly four-hour hearing Friday held over video conference, prosecutors showed pictures of Barnett sitting at a desk in Pelosi's office and Capitol security video of him inside the building. They also showed footage of him bragging on a bullhorn to a crowd outside the Capitol about taking a envelope from the speaker's office.