Darrell Neely Stole U.S. Capitol Police Officer’s Hat: Feds

Darrell Neely, a quantity on the World Enlightenment Radio Group, is pictured in an FBI affidavit accusing him of stealing a U.S. Capitol Police officer’s baseball cap, which is allegedly wore throughout the {{photograph}} on the left.

A right-wing radio host stole the baseball cap worn by a U.S. Capitol Police officer who defended Congress on Jan. 6 and wore it all through a dwell stream of thought of one in every of his broadcasts, federal authorities claimed in courtroom docket papers launched on Monday. Three witnesses who labored at his media outlet allegedly knowledgeable the FBI that he boasted about stealing a variety of totally different objects from the officer and china plates from the developing.

Charged beneath seal on Sept. 30, World Enlightenment Radio Group host Darrell Neely was arrested on Monday, and courtroom docket knowledge current that three totally different people who labored with him on the radio station led the FBI to him. These three witnesses each knowledgeable authorities that they spoke to Neely on the day of the siege of the U.S. Capitol in video calls and a Fb messenger chat.

A “Memento”

In response to the FBI’s affidavit, the witnesses claimed Neely urged that he stole a variety of objects that day, along with a U.S. Capitol Police officer’s belongings and china plates allegedly pilfered from the developing.

“Witness 1 mentioned that, on the first video title, Neely went contained within the U.S. Capitol developing and narrated events happening contained within the developing,” the affidavit states. “Although Witness 1 didn’t see Neely contained within the Capitol developing, Witness 1 acknowledged Neely’s voice as he narrated from contained within the developing.”

This main witness knowledgeable the FBI that “Neely displayed china plates that he insinuated had been from the Capitol developing and a jacket that he claimed was a U.S. Capitol Police jacket” by way of the second video title.

“Whereas on the second title, Witness 1 moreover mentioned that Neely displayed a black/dark-colored jacket with a silver badge on the left entrance and white lettering on the once more and that Neely claimed it was a U.S. Capitol Police jacket,” the affidavit continues. “In addition to, on the second title, Witness 1 seen Neely present two china plates that had been cream and maroon in shade, with each an emblem or lettering throughout the coronary heart of each plate. Witness 1 thought Neely insinuated that the objects had been taken from contained within the Capitol developing.”

The second witness’s account deviated in positive strategies however moreover shared a typical thread.

Every recounted that Neely talked about on the second title that he allegedly acquired the U.S. Capitol Police officer’s jacket “as a memento.”

The second witness claims the alleged thefts acquired right here up all through Fb Messenger chats on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021.

In response to the affidavit, Neely despatched a “{{photograph}} of china plates, off-white to tan in shade, with an eagle throughout the coronary heart” all through a gaggle chat on Jan. 7.

“Based mostly totally on the communications from Neely that day, Witness 2 believed Neely was claiming to have stolen the china plates whereas throughout the U.S. Capitol developing,” the FBI wrote. “Witness 2 didn’t observe {a photograph} of the jacket.”

The third witness claimed to have seen Neely with the objects in-person.

“Witness 3 seen Neely by way of the night time of January 6, 2021, and, in the meanwhile, Neely was in possession of 4 china plates and a USCP jacket, badge, title tag, and baseball cap,” the affidavit states. “In response to Witness 3, Neely boasted that he had attacked a USCP officer and had taken the USCP jacket, badge, title tag, and baseball cap from the officer. Witness 3 talked about Neely moreover boasted about taking the china plates from the Capitol developing.”

“The FBI Has Seen Various of These Broadcasts”

The FBI says that Neely wore the stolen baseball hat all through a video broadcast on his YouTube internet web page—which brokers had been watching.

“Throughout the following days, Neely broadcast regarding the events on his YouTube channel,” the affidavit states. “The FBI has seen a variety of of these broadcasts.”

Federal authorities traced down the unnamed Capitol police officer whose objects they take into account to have been stolen. That officer allegedly recounted eradicating this stuff all through “decontamination from lacrimal spray”—and being unable to search out them later.

“In addition to, your affiant and one totally different FBI specific agent interviewed Neely on two separate occasions,” the affidavit states. “By means of the interviews, Neely mentioned he went to the Capitol to film the events on account of he felt the events had been newsworthy. He moreover admitted to moving into the U.S. Capitol developing. Neely confirmed the interviewing brokers a variety of motion pictures on his cell phone that he had taken by way of the events.”

Like several other Jan. 6 defendants, Neely was photographed smoking what looked to be a marijuana cigarette contained within the developing. {{A photograph}} of Neely holding the alleged joint is embedded in courtroom docket papers.

The FBI talked about found the screenshot of Neely and the cigarette after receiving a tip about open provide video footage. Authorities say that moreover they acknowledged him by way of surveillance footage contained within the Capitol developing.

Neely faces 5 charges of theft of presidency property, moving into and remaining in a restricted developing or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted developing or grounds, disorderly conduct inside a Capitol developing, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol developing.

Be taught the FBI’s affidavit beneath:

(Images by way of FBI affidavit)

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