Staff Report –

The United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation continue to make arrests and charge more domestic terrorists with crimes for breaching the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and trying to prevent the certification of the 2020 election.

This week, a member of the Proud Boys and his brother were ordered to be held without bond after being formally charged last month in federal court in the District of Columbia for conspiracy related to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, according to a press release issued Tuesday.

Matthew Leland Klein, 24, and Jonathanpeter Allen Klein, 21, both of Oregon, were indicted in federal court in the District of Columbia on charges of conspiracy; obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting; obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and aiding and abetting; destruction of government property and aiding and abetting; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; and disorderly conduct in a restricted building or grounds.

The indictment can be viewed here.

According to court documents, Jonathanpeter Klein is a self-identified member of the Proud Boys, a group that describes themselves as a “pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world; aka Western Chauvinists.” Matthew Klein is the brother of Jonathanpeter Klein.

As alleged, Matthew Klein assisted members of the crowd with using a police barricade to climb a wall and gain access to an external stairwell leading to the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol. At 2:16 p.m. on Jan. 6, Jonathanpeter Klein entered the Capitol building on the northwest side with his brother entering shortly after through the same door at 2:18 p.m.

After exiting the building, the brothers worked together to forcibly open a secured door on the Capitol’s north side, with federal officers visible on the other side, causing damage to the building in excess of $1,000. When the officers responded to the violent entry, Matthew Klein put on protective goggles and advanced toward the officers waving a flag affixed to a pole in order to interfere with law enforcement’s efforts.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois and the District of Oregon. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Portland Field Offices.

Five More Men Charged in Superseding Indictment for Assaulting Three Metropolitan Police Officers

Another superseding indictment was unsealed in federal court in the District of Columbia on Thursday, April 1, charging five men with assaulting Metropolitan Police Officers, as well as other crimes, during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 that disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress in the process of affirming the presidential election, according to a press release out Tuesday.

Jack Wade Whitton, 30, of Locust Grove, Georgia, was arrested Thursday in Atlanta. The indictment alleges that Whitton, along with Jeffrey Sabol of Kittredge, Colorado, and Peter Francis Stager of Conway, Arkansas, assaulted an MPD officer, referred to as “B.M.”, with a baton, flag, pole and a crutch.

The indictment can be viewed here.

The indictment also accuses Clayton Ray Mullins of Benton, Kentucky, of assaulting the same officer, as well as a second MPD officer, whom Whitton and Sabol are also accused of separately assaulting.

The indictment further alleges that Michael John Lopatic Sr. of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, assaulted a third MPD officer.

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Georgia, the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Western District of Kentucky.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Atlanta Field Office, New York Field Office, Philadelphia Field Office, Little Rock Field Office, and the Louisville Field Office, along with the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.