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July 28, 2023 - WASHINGTON — A Texas man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges related to his 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.
Michael Marroquin, 63, of Nederland, Texas, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with a felony offense of obstruction of an official proceeding. In addition to the felony, Marroquin is charged with several misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; entering and remaining on the floor of Congress; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; impeding passage through the Capitol grounds or buildings; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in any of the Capitol buildings.
Marroquin was arrested on July 27, 2023, in Nederland and made his initial appearance today in the Eastern District of Texas.
According to court documents, Marroquin traveled from his home in Texas to Washington, D.C, to attend a rally on Jan. 6, 2021. After the rally, Maroquin marched with others to the U.S. Capitol building and entered at approximately 1:20 p.m. through the Senate wing door. A series of recordings on Marroquin’s phone capture his movements through the Capitol that day. In one such recording, as Marroquin approaches the Crypt, he states, “I wanna tell you something. You arrest me, but this is our House! No! You’ll never take our . . . We’re not silent anymore, understand?!” As the crowd he’s with reaches a line of officers, Marroquin can then be heard yelling, “Keep moving!”
Court documents say that one video on Marroquin’s phone was filmed from directly outside the House Chamber, looking through the broken door and into the faces of law enforcement with their weapons drawn and aimed back at the camera. Marroquin attempts to engage the officer in conversation, eventually shouting, “You’re a traitor!”
Marroquin exited the Capitol building at approximately 2:31 p.m.
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 Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Houston’s Beaumont Resident Agency. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 30 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,069 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 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.
