Florida Man Accused Of Being At Capitol Riot Arrested At Inauguration

A Florida man who was well aware police wanted him for his role in the Capitol riot still traveled to Washington, D.C., with the intent of attending the inauguration.

According to the Department of Justice’s court filing, Samuel Camargo, 26, was taken into custody in Washington on Wednesday.

Camargo is facing four charges for his part in the January 6 capitol insurrection, including civil disorder, entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, knowingly engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, Wesh News reported.

He appeared in D.C. District Court on Thursday but did not enter a plea. Judge Zia Faruqui agreed with the DOJ that he was a flight risk and ruled that he stay in custody as he awaits trial.

“Frankly, this country is very large, and there are many different places a defendant could hide within it,” the judge said during the hearing.

Camargo was seen in video footage at one of the Capitol’s doorways on the day of the riot that left five dead. According to the complaint, he was seen “using his mobile phone to videotape his struggle with the U.S. Capitol Police over opening a door to the U.S. Capitol Building.”

He has since apologized for his actions that day. When he was contacted by federal agents the day after, he admitted to participating and had returned to his home in Broward County, Florida.

“Then he became uncooperative and questioned the agent’s loyalty to the constitution before saying he had no more information to provide,” prosecutors wrote. “Following this interview, the defendant then posted on social media, ‘Just finished speaking to an FBI agent, I believe I’ve been cleared.'”

When authorities went to his home to arrest him the day before the inauguration, he had left to go to Washington.

Camargo admitted that he knew police wanted him but “decided that he should attempt to attend the Inauguration rather than turn himself in to authorities.”