According to court documents, an off-duty Drug Enforcement Administration agent from California flashed his DEA badge and firearm while posing for pictures at the January 6 Capitol riot.
Mark Sami Ibrahim was on leave from the agency when he traveled to Washington DC. At the time, he was a probationary employee and had made his intentions of resigning clear.
He is now facing charges of illegally entering the U.S. Capitol grounds. He is additionally charged with making a false statement and carrying a gun on restricted grounds. He is the first federal law enforcement officer to be charged in connection with the Capitol riot.
Ibrahim admitted during a voluntary interview with the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Justice in March to having his credentials and firearm with him. However, he denied intentionally flashing either the badge or the gun.
“I had my creds. I had my firearm and my badge on me . . . But never exposed . . . Not that I know of,” Ibrahim said during the interview.
However, multiple photographs show Ibrahim posing for the camera throughout the day, revealing both his badge and weapon.
Ibrahim told investigators that he was at the Capitol on January 6 to help a friend document the event for the FBI. The friend denied there was any truth to the story. Instead, he said Ibrahim was there to “promote himself,” according to a case summary. He was considering launching a cigar brand and podcast at the time.
Darren Richie, Ibrahim’s lawyer, said his client didn’t participate in the siege on the Capitol and was truthful and cooperative during the investigation. He believes the indictment stems from political pressure “and a flawed attempt to paint a specific narrative through pictures taken wholly out of context.”
The judge released Ibrahim after his initial court appearance on Tuesday.
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