Capitol riot suspect accused of swiping attacked officer's hat and wearing it on Youtube
Radio show host allegedly referred to plates, badges and a police jacket as ‘souvenirs’
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A man accused of rioting on 6 January allegedly stole a baseball cap from a beaten Capitol Police officer and was seen in his own YouTube videos wearing the clothing item, which he called a “souvenir”.
Darrell Neely was accused in court documents on Monday of swiping a baseball cap, name tag, and jacket with US Capitol Police (USCP) branding on it, from an officer who had been sprayed with tear gas.
He wore the stolen baseball cap on his own YouTube channel, FBI investigators allege, where he was a host for Global Enlightenment Radio Network.
A person invited to a video call with Mr Neely on 6 January told federal investigators that he “boasted that he had attacked a [US Capitol Police] officer and had taken the USCP jacket, badge, name tag, and baseball cap from the officer”.
Another two witnesses who worked with him at Global Enlightenment Radio Network also told FBI investigators of what they had seen Mr Neely wearing in video calls on 6 and 7 January.
He allegedly called the stolen items “souvenir[s]”, and one of the three witnesses told investigators that he believed the items had been taken from the US Capitol.
According to court documents, the third witness met Mr Neely on the evening of 6 January and was shown a Capitol Police jacket, badge, name tag and baseball cap.
He also was accused of stealing four plates with Congressional branding on.
The officer who the items belonged to, meanwhile, later told investigators that they removed them while decontaminating themselves from tear gas and could not find the items after.
Mr Neely allegedly wore the baseball cap on his radio show following the riot, and CCTV footage appeared to confirm that he was at the US Capitol building on 6 January.
He was charged on 30 September with theft of government property, entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a restricted building and a Capitol building, and demonstrating at a Capitol building.
He was arrested in Washington DC on Monday. It is unclear if he had a lawyer.
Additional reporting by The Washington Post.
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