October 26, 2024 – WASHINGTON – A Florida man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting law enforcement and other charges related to his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged 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 2020 presidential election.
Zachary Pearlman, 26, of Naples, Florida, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder. In addition to the felonies, Pearlman is charged with misdemeanor offenses of entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a capitol building or grounds, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
The FBI arrested Pearlman on Thursday in Tampa, Florida, and he will make his initial appearance in the Middle District of Florida.
According to court documents, it is alleged that Pearlman was seen on U.S. Capitol building closed-circuit security video (CCTV) entering the building via the Rotunda Doors at about 2:45 p.m., on Jan. 6, 2021. Once inside, Pearlman walked into the Rotunda and was present when a large group of police officers arrived to clear the area of rioters.
Pearlman, who was at the opposite end of the room, turned from a conversation he was having with other members of the crowd to watch the officers push rioters in the Rotunda toward a nearby exit. Instead of moving toward an exit or leaving the area, Pearlman walked toward the police line. He worked his way through the crowd, pushing past other rioters to get himself closer to the line of officers, until he was finally at the very front of the crowd, facing off with the police.
Pearlman then began jeering at the officers, pointing at them repeatedly with both hands. For the next several minutes, he remained at the front of the crowd as the officers tried to physically force rioters from the Rotunda. The officers' efforts, paired with rioters' attempts to remain, resulted in a scrum of pushing and shoving that lasted several minutes. During this time, Pearlman remained at the front of the crowd and, at about 3:08 p.m., during this scrum, Pearlman extended his left arm and pushed against a police officer's riot shield.
Eventually, Pearlman left the Rotunda and returned to the area inside the Rotunda Doors. There, he rubbed his eyes and appeared to be feeling the effects of a chemical irritant such as teargas or OC spray. He left the Capitol building through the Rotunda Doors at approximately 3:12 p.m.
In total, Pearlman was in the Capitol for approximately 27 minutes.
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 Middle District of Florida.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s New York and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the Tampa FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 45 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,532 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 571 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. 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.
Attachment: pearlman_sof.pdf [PDF, 8 MB]
Source & photos: DOJ Release
