3 Minnesotans Charged in January 6 U.S. Capitol Riot
Images provided in charging documents from the FBI show the three Minnesotans (left) charged in relation to the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Jonah Westbury, 26, of Lindstrom, Minn., seen in a Snapchat video screenshot provided by the FBI in charging documents.
Three people from Minnesota have been federally charged in connection to the deadly storming of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, the latest in a nationwide sweep involving dozens of arrests of those believed to have been involved.
On Friday, April, 9, Jonah Westbury, 26, of Lindstrom, Minn., was taken into custody by agents and made a court appearance that afternoon, charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building and grounds, disorderly/disruptive conduct in a restricted building, disorderly/disruptive conduct in a Capitol building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
According to the charging documents, agents with the FBI were tipped off that Westbury was in attendance at the rally-turned-riot. In a video posted to social media website Reddit, investigators identified Westbury as being among the crowd inside the Capitol, wearing the same clothing he was seen in several Snapchat videos later obtained.
In one of the videos, he records himself saying, “first time in the Capitol. First time in the Capitol… I’m proud of every f**king one of you,” the documents allege.
Victoria White, of Rochester, Minn., can be seen (circled in red) outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. Image from FBI.
On Thursday, 39-year-old Victoria White, of Rochester, Minn., was arrested by agents and made a court appearance later that day.
White was accused of entering a restricted building, disorderly/disruptive conduct, violent entry, obstruction of justice and other charges in relation to her alleged role in the events.
In a still image from video, Victoria White, of Rochester, Minn., can be seen outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. Image from FBI.
White can be seen in videos captured at the Capitol Jan. 6 pointing and cheering as the crowd pushes their way through several officers and breaks into the building. In one video, officers push White back with their riot shields and she appears to try to grab one of their shields. In the days after, White made video and radio appearances, including a Facebook Live stream, in which she admitted to being inside of the Capitol that day, the charging documents say:
"I'm in this area with all these statues, and just a mass of police ... I'm inside the Capitol, yeah, and I don't see how anyone could have broke in because there was police in there," she said in the video. “So the doorway, people are trying to get through or push through. But when they are pushing, you have to understand, it’s like a mass of people. A lot of people crammed together and ya know the police are right there and they were like spraying everyone like macing them. And then I look at a police officer and I’m like, you took an oath to the Constitution, and apparently that didn’t sit so well with him, and he decided to hit me really hard on the head with a metal baton. And then the next thing I know there’s more hits coming, more mace coming at us, everyone there, and as they’re pushing, I end up going like into the police, which is kinda weird, and then the police push me back, and then it’s like I get ping ponged back. I don’t even know how to explain it, like it pushed back, ping ponged back. And I end up in the Capitol, inside the Capitol. And an officer had me put my hands behind my back, and he handed me off to someone else and off to someone else."
White was detained that day and processed by police, but released.
A screenshot of a Facebook post shared by Jordan Stotts, of Moorhead, from outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. Image from FBI.
Dozens of videos shared from the Capitol showed the rioters breaking through police lines and smashing windows to break through the Capitol doors, forcing an evacuation of senators inside.
In March, 31-year-old Jordan Stotts, of Moorhead, was the first Minnesotan to be charged in relation to the events.
A former classmate contacted the FBI after seeing Stotts share content on Facebook that indicated he may have been involved in the riot.
Through a search warrant served to Facebook, law enforcement confirmed Stotts uploaded a photo taken from the steps of the Capitol that day and a 360-degree video of the grounds. He also shared the below text on the social media network:
“For too long our voices have gone unheard! For too long our lives have been slowly taken! For too long has Satan ran this country! They attack our religious freedom, freedom of speech, and our freedom to do as we please! They work for us and have no right telling us what we can and can’t do! I’m sick of it and so are the Patriots! With God on our side we will prevail!”
A still image taken from video appears to show Jordan Stotts, of Moorhead, inside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. Image from FBI.
A second post stated:
“The story of the siege: It all started by scaling a wall as we broke into the U.S. Capital [sic] to strike fear into the sold out Congress. We were tear gassed and 2 people were shot. We were peaceful but the police were not. Police were aggressive and on the wrong side! They got us out but it’s far from over! 1776!”
A few days later, Stotts wrote:
“They call us terrorists, we are patriots. Each one a George Washington! Most of them are Benedict Arnolds! Sold out to China and Satan!” … “Peace Out Facebook! Apparently I’m a wanted man and will be going off the grid for a while!