ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington man has been arrested for what authorities said was his acknowledged presence inside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot.
Authorities say Shawn Bradley Witzemann acknowledged during an FBI interview that he was inside the Capitol and provided investigators with three videos he took while in the building.
The FBI said Witzemann, who travels to protests to provide livestreaming video coverage and takes part in a podcast called “The Armenian Council for Truth in Journalism,” walked into the U.S. Capitol, made his way to the building’s rotunda and shot video with his phone until an officer told him to leave.
Before entering the building, authorities say Witzemann tried to climb scaffolding to get a better view of the crowd but an officer told him to come down.
The FBI said it received a tip nine days after the riot that led them to Witzemann.
“My client has done nothing wrong,” said Witzemann’s attorney, Todd Bullion. “He is looking forward to vindicating himself in front of a jury of his peers.”
Witzemann is charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and other charges.