3rd person from Houston area arrested in US Capitol riot, FBI says
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man who the FBI identified as the third Houston-area resident arrested in the U.S. Capitol riot was due to appear in a federal court Friday.
According to the bureau's Houston field office, Wilmar Montano Alvarado was arrested in relation to the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol, where rioters clashed with police officers. Five people, including a U.S. Capitol police officer, died.
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Federal court records show Alvarado was charged with five counts, including violent entry or disorderly conduct; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees; and obstruction of an official proceeding.
According to charging documents, Alvarado admitted during an interview after the riot with a TV station to going to Washington to protest because he believed election fraud may have compromised his vote. In the interview, Alvarado stated he was at the edge of the Capitol building barricade during the chaos when others pushed past it. He joined in.
He also insisted that he had his hands up when he was "close to a cop" and that he was "not part of this." He stated in the interview that something was thrown at his head, causing him to bleed.
Despite his experience, he states having no regrets about protesting.
It wasn't until the FBI posted a bulletin with his face on it that he was in contact with investigators. On Jan. 14, he talked with an agent, repeatedly insisting he did not assault any officers and that he never went inside the Capitol.
However, a YouTube video, titled "UNBELIEVABLE Footage / Trump Supporters Battle Cops Inside the Capitol.", described in the charging document disputes those claims. The documents states Alvarado is seen not only inside the Capitol during the chaos, but that he was in proximity of police officers, contrary to his original statements.
Alvarado, though, is seen being hit by a speaker, causing him to easily step aside and wipe blood from his wound, the document states.
A search showed Alvarado as the owner of a bakery-restaurant in Pasadena. Eyewitness News went to the business where the arrest of Alvarado, who was not there, was met with shock by employees.
Two other men - Joshua Lollar, 39, of Spring, and former Houston police officer Tam Pham, 48 - are the two others from the area charged in connection with the insurrection that happened during the first attempt to certify President Biden's electoral win.
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This story is developing. All updates can be found here.
