Two off-duty police officers in Virginia have been charged in connection with the deadly January 6 U.S. Capitol rape.
Rocky Mount police officers Jacob Fracker and Thomas Robertson were arrested Wednesday after being photographed inside the Capitol making an obscene gesture in front of the statute of John Stark, the U.S. Attorney for the district of Columbia announced.
A photo included as an exhibition at the criminal complaint released by authorities shows the men posing in front of the statue with their fingers raised.
In a social media post included in the complaint, Robertson said that “CNN and the left are crazy because we actually attacked the government which is the problem and not some random small businesses … The right EN ONE DAY he made the decision — — US Capitol. Keep punching us. “
He also said he was “proud” of the photo in an Instagram post that was shared on Facebook because he was “willing to put his skin on the game.”
In a separate Facebook post, Fracker said, “Lol to anyone who’s worried about the image I’m spinning … sorry, I hate freedom? … Not like I’ve done anything illegal … you will do what you think you need. ” That post has since been deleted, but it was also a sample of the criminal complaint.
Robertson admitted to Newsweek that he and Fracker sent the photo to colleagues in the police department and posted it on their own Facebook page after leaking it, according to the complaint.
The complaint also says Robertson claimed he did not break any laws and was escorted by police, “despite his previous posts that he had” attacked the government “and” taken the Capitol. ”
Both men have been charged with one charge of consciously entering or remaining in any restricted building or land without legal authority and another of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
The U.S. attorney in DC has charged more than 70 cases after the attack on the U.S. Capitol that left five dead, and the FBI has opened investigations into more than 170 people.