The man who was photographed sitting at Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s seat with his foot on her desk during Wednesday’s riot at the Capitol building has been arrested.
Richard Barnett, 60, of Gravette, Arkansas, was taken into custody in his home state on charges of entering and remaining on restricted grounds, violent entry, and theft of public property, according to a Department of Justice official.
A New York Times reporter tweeted that he spoke with Barnett after his stunt in Pelosi’s office. In the video, he boasted about stealing a personalized envelope, but insisted he paid for it.
“I left a quarter on her desk,” he said.
Barnett also claimed that he knocked politely on the door to the California Democrat’s office, but was then swept inside by other rioters who had breached the Capitol.
That’s Richard “Bigo” Barnett, 60, from Gravette, Ak., showing off the personalized envelope he took from Speaker Pelosi’s office. He insisted he didn’t steal it — “I left a quarter on her desk.” pic.twitter.com/aST7MCoRwP
— Matthew Rosenberg (@AllMattNYT) January 6, 2021
He’s one of at least 26 people sought by the Police, which offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to their arrest and indictment.
Also charged Friday in connection with the rioting at the Capitol was a state lawmaker from West Virginia, Republican Del. Derrick Evans, who had recorded and then deleted a video of himself joining the crowd. A petition was started for him to step down.
