Feds: Man arrested near US Capitol had truckload of weapons

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WASHINGTON (AP) — An Alabama man arrested close to the U.S. Capitol after the rioting had a truckload of weapons, together with elements for 11 explosive units, weapons, smoke units and machetes, together with a observe containing details about a member of Congress, prosecutors wrote in courtroom paperwork Tuesday.

Federal prosecutors wrote that the observe and quantity of weapons Lonnie Leroy Coffman, 70, had in his truck recommend he had “an intent to offer them to others” and to assault members of Congress. Coffman was charged with a number of firearms crimes.

“This can be a defendant with entry to firearms and quite a few different deadly weapons, harmful incendiary mixtures creating napalm, who seems to have been motivated to conduct violence in opposition to our elected representatives, prosecutors wrote in a movement asking for Coffman to remained jailed till trial.

The observe within the truck referred to a decide appointed by then-president Barack Obama as a “unhealthy man” and gave the identify of a member of Congress, noting the consultant is of Muslim religion.

“The defendant introduced these weapons to the rapid neighborhood of the U.S. Capitol Constructing, and traveled the realm with two firearms on his individual. The quantity of weapons suggests an intent to offer them to others, as nobody individual may moderately use so many directly,” prosecutors wrote.

Coffman, who’s from Falkville, was arrested the night of Jan. 6, after a riot within the U.S. Capitol by a mob backing President Donald Trump. The breach of the Capitol adopted a rally earlier within the day by which the president spoke.

Prosecutors stated Coffman left his truck within the morning that day of chaos and rioting and was arrested when he returned to the truck within the night. Legislation enforcement officers stated they swept the realm after pipe bombs had been discovered close to two buildings.

“The defendant advised legislation enforcement that he had been attempting to get again to the pickup truck all through the day, however that he was turned away in mild of the explosives investigations,” prosecutors wrote.

One other Alabama man, who was out on bond on drug prices, was taken into custody Monday after being accused of taking part in final week’s riot.

Court docket data present {that a} decide on Monday revoked the bond for 23-year-old William Watson after prosecutors stated he was recognized in images and video of the riot.

“Video surveillance from contained in the Capital Constructing recorded photographs of protestors contained in the constructing, together with photographs of the Defendant wearing a yellow sweatshirt standing subsequent to a person with horned hat. The Defendant was recognized by native authorities,” prosecutors wrote in a movement.

The FBI launched the picture of the bearded man within the yellow sweatshirt amongst images of rioters they had been hoping to determine.

WRBL reported that Watson was arrested Monday afternoon in Auburn. Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones stated Watson is within the county jail after having his bond revoked. He doesn’t have any federal prices at the moment, based on a search of courtroom data.

Authorities famous that they had been additionally in a position to determine Watson by the distinctive tattoos on his hand, and that Watson himself appeared to explain his participation in a social media publish.

“They wanna name me antifa as a result of I’ve a online game tattoo on my hand and I used to be pleading for peaceable discourse. Let em say what they may. The faux information will not win in opposition to hundreds of patriots who recorded at this time,” learn a social media publish that prosecutors attributed to Watson.