Judy L. Thomas
The Kansas Metropolis Star
(TNS)
A Wichita man who prosecutors say wore a patriotic face masks and had an American flag painted on his head when he entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, has been charged in reference to the riot.
Chad Dustin Suenram, a U.S. Marine veteran, was arrested Monday in Haysville, south of Wichita, after being charged July 6 with 4 misdemeanors. The felony criticism was unsealed Tuesday.
The fees, filed in U.S. District Court docket for the District of Columbia: knowingly coming into or remaining in any restricted constructing or grounds with out lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted constructing or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol constructing; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol constructing.
Suenram, 43, appeared in U.S. District Court docket for the District of Kansas on Wednesday and was launched on a $5,000 unsecured bond, courtroom data present. His subsequent courtroom look is through video convention on Aug. 1 in federal courtroom in Washington, D.C.
His lawyer, Michael Studtmann, stated in an e-mail Thursday afternoon that “we don’t (have) any remark at the moment as he was in courtroom for the primary time simply yesterday.”
Suenram had been dubbed #FlagFaceMarine by the “Sedition Hunters,” a community of on-line investigators serving to determine and find these concerned within the Capitol assault. He is the 10th Kansas resident to face such charges.
His arrest comes as the massive Capitol riot investigation has picked up the pace, two-and-a-half years after the Jan. 6 breach. The arrest tally now stands at almost 1,100, on prices starting from demonstrating in a Capitol constructing to seditious conspiracy.
In line with the possible trigger affidavit, the FBI tracked down Suenram after search warrant outcomes confirmed {that a} cellphone related together with his firm Gmail account was inside and outdoors the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, between 2:43 p.m. and 4:09 p.m. The enterprise, New Look Firms Landscaping, is owned by Suenram, the doc stated.
By means of open sources, the FBI stated it realized that Suenram traveled to Washington on Jan. 5, 2021, by way of a non-public bus constitution firm.
The FBI ran biometric facial recognition software program on pictures and video footage taken on Jan. 6, the doc stated, and outcomes confirmed that Suenram was on the Capitol that day.
“Within the pictures, Suenram had a painted American flag on the fitting aspect of his head, simply above his ear,” the affidavit stated. “Suenram was carrying a long-sleeved black hoodie with a black t-shirt over the hoodie. The black t-shirt had ‘USMC’ on the back and front in pink letters and the again additionally displayed a metallic eagle.”
Suenram additionally wore a plastic face masks adorned like an American flag, it stated.
A evaluation of U.S. Capitol Police photographs and surveillance footage confirmed Suenram coming into the constructing by way of the Senate fireplace door about 2:45 p.m., the affidavit stated. Roughly 9 minutes later, it stated, Suenram was seen on the footage in a big crowd being pressured out of the Capitol by way of the identical door.
Different surveillance footage confirmed that Suenram then re-entered the constructing by way of the Senate Wing Door round 3:05 p.m., in line with the affidavit. Video footage from cellphones of others contained in the Capitol confirmed Suenram strolling by way of the Crypt, then becoming a member of a gaggle that was shouting, “USA! USA!” whereas recording the scene on his cellphone, it stated.
Suenram left the Capitol by way of the south door vestibule after spending 25 to 27 minutes inside, the doc stated. However as an alternative of leaving the grounds, it stated, at 3:40 p.m. he stood in entrance of a mob that had gathered outdoors the north door and was confronting police.
“After repeated assaults by the mob, cops retreated contained in the U.S. Capitol constructing,” the affidavit stated. “Suenram saved his place on the entrance of the mob, and even after the officers’ retreat contained in the constructing, Suenram stood instantly in entrance of the north door for a number of minutes, filming and cheering as cops deployed tear gasoline in an try and clear the realm.
“Suenram remained a number of toes away from the North Door as different rioters tried to make use of a motorcycle rack and different objects to pressure entry into the constructing,” the affidavit stated.
On July 12, 2022, two FBI brokers contacted Suenram at his residence and talked to him for about 10 minutes, the doc stated. He refused to be interviewed and stated he was going to get an lawyer. The brokers confirmed that Suenram was the person within the Capitol riot images, it stated.
©2023 The Kansas Metropolis Star. Go to kansascity.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
