Here are the updates on the Jan. 6 cases tied to Central Texas
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Several Austin-area suspects were charged in the attack on the U.S. Capitol one year ago. Here are the updates on their cases:
Joseph Cable Barnes | Arrested in Austin
Joseph Barnes, a 35-year-old former Austin real estate agent, is listed as deceased. A statement of facts released by the FBI said Barnes was recorded in a video taken inside the capitol wearing a dark beanie and American flag neck gaiter, saying, “This is our house! This is our country!"
He was arrested by the FBI in February of last year and charged with Obstruction of an Official Proceeding; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building.
According to federal records, he pleaded not guilty in March and was released on bond.
In June, Barnes was killed on his motorcycle after running a red light and hitting a pickup truck along Capital of Texas Highway, according to police.
Christopher Ray Grider | Arrested in Austin
Federal records show Christopher Grider surrendered to the FBI in late January of last year. According to a complaint affidavit, Grider admitted to being inside the Capitol building and told investigators he was feet away from Ashli Babbit, the rioter shot and killed by police in the "Speaker's Lobby" as a mob tried to break into the U.S. House chambers.
The affidavit states Grider appears in a video from within the Capitol. Wearing a black puffy jacket and a yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” flag tied around his neck, he tells the camera, “[President Trump] asked people to come and show their support. I feel like it’s the least that we can do. It’s kind of why I came from Central Texas all the way to D.C.”
Grider was indicted on seven counts including Destruction of Government Property; Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Impeding Passage Through the Capitol Grounds or Buildings; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings.
Federal records show he pleaded not guilty to all counts last February and was released on bond.
Zvonimir Joseph Jurlina | Arrested in Austin
Zvonimir Jurlina is accused of damaging equipment belonging to news outlets as members of the media fled their staging area amid the chaos on the Capitol grounds, according to a federal charging document.
The document alleges Jurlina also took a news outlet's microphone as a souvenir and in a video posted to YouTube, could be heard saying, "Yo, I guess we should loot now, right? This is pretty expensive equipment. I’m thinking maybe I should just grab it up and then go to a pawn shop.” In another video, he is believed to be heard saying the equipment was "abandoned" and therefore, "It's not theft."
Jurlina was arrested in late June and later released on bond. He faces charges of Destruction of Property in Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction and Aiding and Abetting Act of Physical Violence on Grounds.
He had a hearing slated for September, according to the most recent update to the Department of Justice's 'Captiol Breach Cases' page.
Felipe Antonio "Tony" Martinez | Arrested in Austin
Tony Martinez is a Lake Elsinore, California man who was arrested in Austin back in June. Prosecutors allege he was part of a group of six California men at the Capitol who identify as "Three Percenters," meaning they believe only three percent of American colonists took up arms against the British during the American Revolution.
According to a federal indictment, the men are accused of using the instant messenger app Telegram to conspire to stop the certification of the presidential election, with one of the other men allegedly writing, "This thread is exclusive to be utilized to organize a group of fighters to have each other's backs and ensure that no one will trample on our rights."
The men made the trip to D.C. where Martinez is accused of joining rioters on the upper west terrace of the Capitol building.
Martinez faces three charges: Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding and Aiding and Abetting; and Restricted Building or Grounds. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Samuel Christopher Montoya | Arrested in Austin
At the time of the attack, Samuel Montoya was a video editor for the far-right website InfoWars, according to federal documents. He is believed to have captured footage of the death of rioter Ashli Babbit who was shot by police as a crowd tried to break into the U.S. House chamber.
Prosecutors allege Montoya was the narrator of a 44-minute video embedded with the tag “THERESISTANCE.VIDEO," at one point, turning the camera on himself and exclaiming, “It feels good to be in the Capitol, baby."
In May, Montoya pleaded not guilty to charges of Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Capitol Building; Impeding Passage Through the Capitol Grounds or Buildings, and Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building.
Andrew Jackson Morgan, Jr. | Arrested in Caldwell Co.
Andrew Morgan of Maxwell (east of San Marcos) was arrested in April after someone sent a video to the FBI's online tips website.
A federal criminal complaint alleges the video shows Morgan as part of the mob that stormed into the Capitol through a tunnel at the top of a flight of steps. According to federal investigators, Morgan can be heard encouraging the crowd and yelling, "I want that door right there!... I want my bullet! Give me my bullet! Give me my tear gas!"
Investigators said they were able to track Morgan down, in part, due to a "media" lanyard visible in the video tied to his YouTube channel "Political Trance Tribune."
He has pleaded not guilty to four counts and is out on bond. His charges include Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority; Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds; Obstruction of and Official Proceeding; and Aided and Abetted.
Jason Douglas Owens | Arrested in Blanco
Jason Owens is accused of assaulting police during an altercation between rioters and law enforcement on the Capitol's west lawn, per a federal criminal complaint.
According to investigators, Owens made the trip to D.C. with his son Grady who lives in Florida.
Grady Owens can be seen carrying a skateboard in police body camera video, the complaint states. Police said an officer was hit on the head with a skateboard during the melee, suffering a concussion.
Father and son were taken into custody in April after photos were shared on the Twitter page @SeditionHunters.
Jason Owens had his first court appearance that same month. He was released on conditions that include staying away from D.C. and not contacting others involved with the events at the Capitol, including his son.
He faces charges of Assaulting, Resisting or Impeding Certain Officers or Employees; Obstruction of Law Enforcement During Civil Disorder; Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority, Knowingly Committing an Act of Physical Violence in any Restricted Building or Grounds; Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds.
Grady Owens has pleaded not guilty to similar charges.
Jeffrey Shane Witcher and Richard Franklin Barnard
Jeffrey Witcher and Richard Barnard, two Austin-area friends and former U.S. Marines, are set to be sentenced next month after taking plea deals, according to federal records.
The two admit they were part of the crowd that illegally entered the Capitol. In a statement of facts, the FBI said Witcher voluntarily set up a meeting with agents and turned over his phone in the days following Jan. 6, after learning the attack had turned deadly.
In a video retrieved from the phone, Witcher could be heard shouting, "I am in the White House! We crashed this! Our house! We did it!" The footage later shows Barnard and at least three others shielding police officers with their bodies from unruly protesters.
Facing several charges, Witcher in October pleaded guilty to one count of Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds. He faces up to one year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000.
Barnard pleaded guilty that same month to Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. That carries a possible sentence of up to six months in prison and a potential fine of $5,000.
Both are set to be sentenced Feb. 4.