A Chula Vista man was charged by federal prosecutors this week with taking part in the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021.
Howard Raymond Freelove was among a crowd that entered the Rotunda just before 2:45 p.m., according to a complaint filed in San Diego federal court.
Jan. 6 Riot
Freelove, who is charged with four misdemeanor counts, was allegedly caught on surveillance footage walking around the building with others and filming with a cellphone.
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
According to court documents, the FBI received a tip in December 2021 regarding Freelove's alleged involvement in the Capitol breach.
Investigators reviewed Freelove's social media accounts and discovered a video he allegedly recorded while driving.
In the video, he states, "Hello everyone, Freelove here. I left Chula Vista, California, a couple of days ago, and I'm on my way to Washington D.C., for the rally," according to a statement of facts authored by an FBI agent.
Though he initially said he was going to Washington D.C. on March 6, Freelove allegedly corrected himself, clarifying he was going to "march of the 6th."
Court documents state that in the video, Freelove was wearing what appeared to be the same tinted glasses and red Trump baseball cap that he was seen wearing on surveillance footage captured from inside the Capitol.
The family of Ashli Babbitt, a San Diego woman who was shot and killed during the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol breach, filed a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit last month in San Diego federal court against the U.S. government. Babbitt was among five people killed during the Jan. 6 insurrection. More than 1,000 people have been prosecuted for various roles in the breach, including Trump.
Freelove was arrested Monday and released later that day on $5,000 bond, according to court records.
