Defendant Accused of Pushing Officer 10 Feet in Confrontation, Another Allegedly Intentionally Breached Police Barriers
A Maryland man was arrested yesterday and a Florida man was arrested today for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Uliyahu Hayah, 45, of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Robert Flynt Fairchild Jr., 40, of Orlando, Florida, are separately charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, among other charges. Hayah is additionally charged with engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds and civil disorder in addition to other charges. Fairchild is also charged with obstruction of an official proceeding and disorderly conduct, among other offenses. Both men made their initial court appearances this afternoon.
According to court documents, Hayah was captured on video entering the U.S. Capitol through the Senate wing wearing a camouflage backpack, a black head covering and a gas mask while carrying an American flag. As alleged, around 2:25 p.m., Hayah was on the front line of the crowd walking against a line of U.S. Capitol Police Officers in the crypt. Hayah continued walking through the building toward the House of Representatives Chamber, making his way to the vicinity of the Speaker’s Lobby moments after Ashli Babbitt was shot. As depicted in publicly available video, Hayah joined a physical confrontation as law enforcement tried to escort rioters out of the building. As alleged, he put his hands on a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer and pushed the officer approximately 10 feet into the crowd. Hayah exited the building at approximately 2:57 p.m.
According to MPD body-worn camera (BWC) footage, Fairchild was on the exterior west plaza of the U.S. Capitol building during the riot where he was seen consistently moving up and down the police line along the security gate barriers. As alleged, at 1:23 p.m., Fairchild was seen grabbing the security gate and attempting to remove it from the officer’s control but was unsuccessful. Later, Fairchild was seen pushing with the crowd against the barriers, causing officers to use their batons and hands to fight back. As alleged, at 2:10 p.m., Fairchild used his body to push the barriers into the line of MPD officers, and five minutes later, helped the crowd carry away a barrier removed from the police line. Fairchild was also observed walking through the Senate wing door around 3:09 p.m. At approximately 3;27 p.m., he allegedly stood near the broken window of the south exterior door and appeared to take a video of the crowd with his phone. At approximately 3:29 p.m., Fairchild is seen exiting the building.
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 Virginia, District of Maryland and Middle District of Florida.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Fairchild as #237 in its seeking information photos, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI’s Baltimore and Tampa Field Offices.
In the seven months since Jan. 6, more than 570 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 170 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.
The charges contained in any criminal complaint or indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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