On Monday, players busted a leader of the Queens Republican district who had climbed into the Capitol through a broken window during last month’s rebellion – after two footage identified him in news footage.
According to federal prosecutors, 46-year-old Phillip Grillo of Glen Oaks, Queens, was detained by Queens on charges of felony at his girlfriend’s home after being spotted on CNN by two men and contacted by the FBI.
He is a member of a state committee for Assembly District 24 and calls himself a “Republican Messiah” on Facebook, where he refers to his neighborhood as “Trump’s hometown district.”
His arrest comes on the same day the Senate is hearing the law enforcement failures of the Jan. 6 riot when Trump supporters converged on the building as Congress voted to authenticate the election.
Surveillance footage shows Grillo imprisoned, jumping from a broken window in the Capitol, grabbing a megaphone, at around 2:20 a.m., the court papers alleged.
About 15 minutes later, another camera recorded the grillo milling about the Rotaluda, with a large crowd gathered in front of the outer doors with barricades erected to prevent rioters from entering.
The group pushed three police officers from the Capitol against the doors, forced them to defecate in the open and allowed their comrades to pour in from outside.
Grillo can be seen in the footage wearing embroidered with the Knights of Columbus, St. Anne’s Council # 2429, Glen Oaks, New York. Officials said he is a member of the Catholic fraternal organization and the separate apparel helped authorities track him down.
Grillo is expected to make his initial appearance in Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday afternoon.
The GOP leader is accused of intentionally entering a prohibited building, disorderly or disruptive conduct, and obstructing official proceedings.
Grillo’s attorney, Jan Rostal, did not immediately return a request for comment.
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