Michael Picciuto, Civil Disorder and Destruction or Injury to Buildings or Property, Washington 2021

An Ohio man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges related to his conduct during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Michael Picciuto, 25, of Kirtland, Ohio, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of civil disorder and destruction or injury to buildings or property in special maritime and territorial jurisdiction.

According to court documents, Picciuto was identified on U.S. Capitol closed-circuit television footage entering the U.S. Capitol building at approximately 2:33 p.m. on January 6, 2021, through the Upper West Terrace Door and carrying an American flag. After entering, Picciuto headed toward the Rotunda and entered into a hallway on the second floor on the Senate side of the Capitol.

Picciuto is captured on CCTV footage and open-source video overrunning one police line near the Old Senate Chamber, until his progress was halted by a line of police officers who attempted to keep rioters from moving deeper into the building. In police body-worn camera footage, Picciuto can be seen falling to the ground and then standing up again.

Rather than retreat, Picciuto stood at the front of a line of rioters that faced off with police and resisted police efforts to clear the hallway. After a standoff, the rioters and police got into a physical scuffle. Police sprayed rioters with repellent, which dispersed the crowd. Picciuto then continued to resist police efforts to clear hallways and was eventually directed by police into the Rotunda at approximately 3:04 p.m.

Picciuto remained in the Rotunda until approximately 3:12 p.m., when he exited the U.S. Capitol through the Rotunda Door on the east side. After exiting the building, Picciuto remained within the restricted perimeter of the U.S. Capitol grounds on the north side.

Picciuto later walked to the Northeast Lawn Media Pen, where rioters had chased away members of the news media. At approximately 4:52 p.m., Picciuto can be seen breaking apart, pouring water, and stomping on media equipment belonging to the Associated Press.

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