As throngs of pro-Trump supporters rammed their way into the U.S. Capitol on the afternoon of Jan. 6, two men sped toward the complex in a pair of golf carts. Roberto Minuta, 36, and Joshua James, 33, were on their way to aid a group of seven men and women who were preparing to climb the Capitol’s east stairs in a tactical formation, according to a federal indictment unsealed Apr. 1.
To pierce the mass of people gathered there, each group member placed a hand on the back of the person ahead of them—a military-style tactic prosecutors called a “stack.” The group, clad in tactical vests, helmets and radios, forcibly entered through the Capitol rotunda doors, where James and Minuta followed 25 minutes later. “It’s going down, guys; it’s literally going down right now Patriots storming the Capitol building,” said Minuta, according to court documents. “F*cking war in the streets right now… word is they got in the building… let’s go.”
For the rest of the afternoon, waves of rioters swarmed police barricades, sprayed chemical agents, smashed windows, and entered the Capitol by brute force before National Guard and federal forces were dispatched. And when the siege began to dissipate, ultimately leaving five people dead and scores wounded, prosecutors say that James, Minuta and others regrouped outside about 100 feet from the building. Affixed to their gear, members of the group had patches emblazoned with yellow block lettering that spelled out: “OATH KEEPERS.”
The attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 could be the most documented crime in U.S. history. Surveillance and law enforcement body cameras captured more than 15,000 hours of footage. The federal government has snagged some 1,600 electronic devices, each likely teeming with electronic communications. Citizens from across the country have flooded the FBI with more than 270,000 tips, which include videos, photos and social media posts. And the rioters themselves extensively captured their exploits on camera, posting hours of digital evidence of the rampage. Thanks to that torrent of evidence, more than 370 suspects have been arrested on charges related to the insurrection.
