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September 20, 2022 - WASHINGTON — A Virginia man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges for assaulting law enforcement officers and other actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Joseph Brody, 23, of Springfield, Virginia, is charged in a criminal complaint with assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers, causing bodily injury, interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder, and obstruction of an official proceeding, all felony offenses. He also is charged with two misdemeanor offenses. Brody was arrested on Sept. 15, 2022, in Springfield. He made his initial appearance in the District of Columbia later that day and was released pending further court proceedings.
Four other defendants also face misdemeanor charges. They include Thomas Carey, 21, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Gabriel Chase, 22, of Gainesville, Florida; Jon Lizak, 21, of Cold Spring Harbor, New York, and Paul Ewald Lovley, 23, of Halethorpe, Maryland. Carey and Lizak were arrested on Sept. 15, 2022, Lovley was arrested Sept. 19, 2022, and Chase was arrested today.
According to court documents, all five defendants communicated with one another in advance of Jan. 6, 2021, and eventually illegally entered the Capitol as a group, at approximately 2:16 p.m. They moved throughout multiple levels, corridors, and rooms of the building, including the office and conference room of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Brody also entered the floor of the U.S. Senate Chamber, where he filmed or photographed the desks of U.S. Senators.
After about 35 minutes, the group exited the building and moved to the north end of the Capitol, witnessing the breach of the North Door. Brody assisted another person in the mob in using a metal barricade against a U.S. Capitol Police officer, knocking the officers back as he attempted to secure the North Door. Brody and Chase also participated in the destruction of media equipment.
This 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 Offices for the Northern District of Florida, the Eastern District of New York, the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Eastern District of Virginia.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington, Albany, Baltimore, Jacksonville, New York, and Pittsburgh Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 20 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 870 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 265 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
