FBI seeks further info from public on Capitol riot
Correspondent David Spunt has the latest from Washington on 'Special Report'
FBI agents arrested a New York City man Tuesday evening, searching his home after the convicted felon allegedly made online threats about traveling to Washington, D.C., to carry out further violence in the days after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol building during the official certification of Electoral College votes a week ago.
The suspect, identified as Eduard Florea, was arrested at his home in Middle Village, Queens, and is expected to appear virtually in federal court in Brooklyn at 2 p.m. Wednesday, a law enforcement source confirmed to Fox News.
He is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition. Prosecutors in court described Florea as a "supporter" of the Proud Boys and that, although he has been with the group's members, namely when they vandalized a D.C. church in December, that he hasn't officially joined yet because he hasn't attended the required number of meetings.
"The defendant also told the FBI yesterday that he supports the proud boys as your honor is aware it is an extremist organization and more so that he had applied to join the proud boys," Francisco Navarro, a prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York told a judge. "He was not yet a member because he had not yet attended the requisite number of meetings but he had socialized with them and importantly he traveled with them to Washington DC in December and was with the proud boys when they vandalized the church."
Florea is not believed to have been at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 during the violent protests that resulted in the deaths of at least five people, WNBC reported. In the days since the insurrection, Florea allegedly posted messages online threatening to lead an armed caravan to D.C., according to the station. The presidential inauguration is exactly a week away.
The criminal complaint detailing the allegations against him remained sealed as of Wednesday morning.
Investigators with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, as well as its partners with the New York Police Department, were at the scene Tuesday searching the home near Elliot Avenue and 76th Street, WNBC reported.
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In 2014, Florea was previously convicted on weapons-related charges after police found more than two dozen weapons in his possession on Staten Island, a law enforcement source told the station.
Fox News learned that another man identified as Will Pepe, from Beacon, N.Y., was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday. Pepe, an employee of the Metro-North commuter railroad, faces charges alleging he participated in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. He will make an initial court appearance in White Plains Wednesday, according to the U. S. District Court Southern District of New York.
Another New Yorker, who is the son of a prominent Brooklyn Supreme Court judge, was arrested by the FBI Tuesday and is charged in connection with the Capitol riot. He was released that same day on $100,000 bond.
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Aaron Mostofsky, 34, faces multiple charges for his role in Wednesday's siege, including the theft of government property, knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, knowingly, with intent to impede government business or official functions, engaging in disorderly conduct on capitol grounds, and unlawful entry and disorderly conduct.
Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest in the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Viral photos showed a maskless Mostofsky holding a police riot shield and wearing a bulletproof vest over his own fur pelts.
He is the son of Shlomo Mostofsky, a prominent modern Orthodox figure in the borough and the former president of the National Council of Young Israel. The elder Mostofsky was reported elected to the Kings County Supreme Court last January.
In connection to the insurrection in D.C. last week, a Proud Boys member, who leads the Hawaii chapter of the organization, was arrested by the FBI at the airport and appeared in federal court in Honolulu after allegedly posting a photo of himself online smoking a cigarette at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Nicholas "Nick" R. Ochs was charged with unlawful entry into a restricted building or grounds and was released on a $5,000 bond.
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The FBI acknowledged at a press conference Tuesday that the arrest of the national chairman of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, was based on prior intelligence about individuals who aimed to come to D.C. to incite violence on Jan. 6.
Tarrio, who lives in Miami, was arrested in D.C. two days before rioters stormed the Capitol.
He was charged with the destruction of property for allegedly burning a Black Lives Matter banner at a church in December when pro-Trump demonstrators clashed with Antifa and local activists after nightfall. A judge banned Tarrio banned from D.C. the day before the riot.
Fox News’ Julia Musto contributed to this report.
