The FBI arrested August Garcia in Cheyenne on Monday for his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Garcia faces charges ranging from felony assault of an officer to misdemeanor counts of remaining in a restricted area.
In July, a pastor who’d baptized Garcia identified him to an investigator from provided images, according to a law-enforcement affidavit. Later that day, having been notified by the pastor that investigators were looking for him, Garcia called local FBI officials.
“GARCIA acknowledged that he was at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, but claimed that he was not part of any violence on January 6 and that he did not see anything illegal that day,” the affidavit states.
On camera
Open-source video captured Garcia walking along Constitution Avenue towards the Capitol that day, according to the FBI. Footage later captured him outside the building holding a bag that appeared to contain zip ties, before standing behind a man bashing in a door and shattering its window.
“During this time, Garcia allegedly stood behind the rioter and, after the door was opened, patted him on the back,” the FBI stated in a press release. “Garcia then held the door open as he and others began to enter the Capitol building.”
Garcia was one of the first to breach the Capitol, but it wouldn’t be the only time he did so that day, according to investigators.
Upon entering, the FBI alleged he grabbed a U.S. Capitol Police officer, wrapped his arms around the man, pushed him, then pulled him against a wall before the officer broke free.
While U.S. Capitol Police tried to hold a line, rioters rushed forward.
“Open-source video from this period shows the crowd chanting ‘USA, USA’ as Garcia emphatically pointed at the police,” the FBI said.
Nineteen minutes after entering, Garcia left the Capitol, and video footage shows he then breached another entrance 5 minutes later, the FBI stated.
Garcia walked the halls, kicked a door, talked to another rioter and walked into the “Crypt,” which is a large, circular chamber under the rotunda that operates as a museum and statue repository. Rioters chanted “WHOSE HOUSE? OUR HOUSE,” the FBI press release stated.
“Minutes later, [Garcia] exited the Capitol building through a broken window near the Senate Wing Door at approximately 3:15 p.m., after spending roughly 29 minutes inside the building across two separate entries,” the FBI stated.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming assisted in the case, according to the FBI, but Garcia is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Garcia is charged with felony counts of “assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder.”
He’s also charged with misdemeanor crimes for “entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct, act of physical violence, and parading demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.”
Since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,500 people have been charged with crimes related to the Capitol breach, “including more than 560 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony,” the FBI stated.
A Star Valley man was convicted in July of assaulting an officer with a flagpole during the Jan. 6 insurrection, among other crimes.
Investigations remain ongoing. Tips can be called in to 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or at tips.fbi.gov.
Multi-tier justice system. Why aren’t they pulling in BLM and Antifa rioters that raped, burned, and destroyed. Corrupt justice system used to intimidate the opposition.
Many rioters faced prosecution for thier actions. Many went to jail. Wake up !
Except this was a insurrection. If you can’t understand that, maybe you should search our America history.
Mr Garcia deserves prison with all the other chrump loving traitors that participated.
What happened on January 6th was a disgusting riot; not an insurrection.
Calling January 6th an insurrection is just as misleading as calling the summer 2020 riots, ‘mostly peaceful protests’ when there were buildings burning in the reporter’s background.
Sorry, both involved people breaking the law and they should all be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. J6 people were intent on overturning my vote. The BLM protests involved both protestors and counter protestors. Big difference.
Agreed. We should be above riots and violent protests no matter who the group is. No where in the charges does it say insurrection. ‘Ever notice that over the years? Who has been convicted of insurrection yet 4 years later? But it’s such a cool big boy intellectual word! This is a journalistic term loosely interchangeable with riot. Goebbels much? I beg for the day when people stop parroting ugly media and their deceptive journalistic wording, dividing us in terrible ways, worse as the days go on. I refuse to parrot. I will use critical thinking, I will remember history. I feel sorry for the angry readers screaming “Off with his head!” Due process, anyone? I suggest starting there instead of creating convictions and sentences in your own simple minds. Crack open The Federalist Papers and go from there. (The media is hoping you won’t, though.)
Let’s see if an editor has the nerve to “approve” the above facts.
When you attack the capital, intent both on harming legislators and overturning an election it is an insurrection. The media got it right!
It’s dangerous in my opinion to say the media got it right. Now if you said a judge or judges….okay.
No. Not an insurrection. High bar to meet and defendants walk out with cases dismissed. Who and how many have been charged with insurrection? It is a fair question. Doesn’t this word matter? Or does it only matter depending on your politics? I hope not! If events matter, do not the events at the Madison Capitol (gorgeous capitol!) in 2011 matter? If lives matter, do not the Antifa and BLM riots and consequences (or lack there of) matter? The term insurrection only provides the accusers protection from being inclusive of other nefarious events including Hamas supporters intimidating Jewish students/faculty on campuses because what? Because J6 was at a federal building? Wrong is wrong. Lives are lives. And you’re still wrong about the definition of insurrection. And the latter is not an opinion; it’s a fact.
No, it was an insurrection attempt.
Matt all PREVENTABLE if only Nancy Pelosi would have done her job. She admits she dropped the ball. But stopping the event before it got started just didn’t fit her agenda. Be interesting to see all Congress texts n emails leading up to this
I hope those two Wyoming political goofballs that attended are investigated.
Obviously the bar for “illegal activity” is as low as the GOP has stooped these days. Apparently someone with a crowbar busting a door right in front of you and wrestling with an officer is no longer considered “illegal activity”. I will remember that day and all the Republicans I heard say it was unamerican and unacceptable what happened that day – who quickly lost their anger and returned to the Trump fold.
Well done ladies and gents of LE. I’m sure he’s been to confession and been forgiven in the eyes of the church. But even the priest will tell you, “penance is due”. Attack our capital and face the consequences. Wisdom is a tough teacher as she gives the test first, followed by the lesson. Learn it.
Garcia will be provided with a fair trial and defense, per the rights granted in the same US Constitution he attempted to overthrow. The irony here.
I hope he gets a fair trial, that the prosecution is able to provide evidence beyond a reasonable doubt Garcia committed the acts he is charged with, and Garcia receives the absolute maximum punishment allowable by law. Post incarceration, we can hope Garcia moves to FL to spend time with his fellow felons. They can eat dog and trade tales of prison life.
Thumbs up to the investigators. January 6 was a despicable disgrace committed against democracy.