The feds on Monday busted a Queens Republican district chief who climbed into the Capitol by a damaged window throughout final month’s revolt — after two tipsters acknowledged him in information footage.
Philip Grillo, 46, of Glen Oaks, Queens, was taken into custody on a felony cost at his girlfriend’s home after two folks noticed him on CNN and contacted the FBI, in keeping with federal prosecutors.
He’s a state committee member for Meeting District 24 and calls himself the “Republican Messiah” on Fb, the place he refers to his neighborhood as “Trump’s Hometown District.”
His arrest comes on the identical day that the Senate is holding a listening to on the legislation enforcement failures of Jan. 6 riot when Trump supporters converged on the constructing as Congress voted to certify the election.
Surveillance footage captured Grillo enter the Capitol by leaping by a damaged window, holding a megaphone, at about 2:20 p.m., court docket papers allege.
About quarter-hour later, one other digicam recorded Grillo milling concerning the Rotunda with a big crowd gathered in entrance of exterior doorways that had been barricaded with benches to dam rioters from getting in.
The group pushed previous three Capitol Cops, in opposition to the doorways, forcing them open and permitting their comrades to pour in from exterior, prosecutors cost.
Grillo can been seen within the footage sporting a jacket embroidered with Knights of Columbus, St. Anne’s Council #2429, Glen Oaks, New York. He’s a member of the Catholic fraternal group, and the distinct garment helped authorities monitor him down, officers stated.
Grillo is anticipated to make his preliminary look Tuesday afternoon in Brooklyn federal court docket.
The GOP chief is charged with knowingly coming into a restricted constructing, disorderly or disruptive conduct and obstruction of an official continuing.
Grillo’s lawyer, Jan Rostal, didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
