BEAVER COUNTY, Pa. — A Beaver County man was arrested and charged in connection with rioting at the U.S. Capitol last month.
Federal investigators said Russell Peterson, from Rochester, Pennsylvania, appeared before a judge Friday afternoon after he was taken into custody. He was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds, disruptive conduct in the Capitol Buildings and other charges.
According to federal court documents, a federal judge signed a search warrant after investigators found his Facebook account, which showed he was allegedly live streaming from inside various rooms in the Capitol building. Authorities said they found at least two separate live streams on the social media account during the rioting.
FBI agents then interviewed a witness regarding a tip that was submitted about Peterson and his mother. The witness told agents that Peterson’s mother had posted on social media that her son had “sat in Pelosi’s chair.” The witness also provided pictures to investigators, showing Peterson and his mother in the crowd of protesters.
Russell Peterson was also identified by security cameras from inside the Capitol building.
Peterson joins five other people from the region who were arrested and charged in connection with the rioting.
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