A man who was photographed sitting behind Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s desk during the siege on the U.S. Capitol Wednesday has been arrested, according to multiple reports.
The man, identified as Richard Barnett, was arrested in Arkansas, according to the Washington Post, NBCand CBS.
Barnett faces charges of entering and remaining on restricted grounds, violent entry and theft of public property.
After leaving the Capitol building, Barnett was photographed holding a piece of mail taken from inside Pelosi’s office.
Images of Barnett sitting behind Pelosi’s desk with his feet propped up was widely shared in the media following the violent breach of the Capitol.
BREAKING: Richard Barnett, who bragged about sitting in @SpeakerPelosi’s chair - put his feet up - after breaking in to her office, has been arrested. Charges are: entering & remaining on restricted grounds, violent entry, theft of public property. pic.twitter.com/i6Ayil6G5S
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) January 8, 2021
Barnett told a local media in Arkansas Wednesday night he wrote Pelosi a note and left a quarter on Pelosi’s desk when he took the letter, “cause I’m not a thief.”
He told the tv station, 5News, he had been cut in the melee getting into the Capitol and had bled on the letter, and that’s why he took it.
He also said he was pushed inside the Capitol by the violent group of pro-Trump protesters, and found Pelosi’s office.
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
