Former Officer Who Stormed the Capitol Allegedly Bought 34 Guns Following Pre-Trial Release, Defying Court Orders

According to court documents, a former officer who participated in the Capitol riots violated his pre-trial release restrictions by purchasing 34 firearms and having a loaded M4 carbine and a half-built pipe bomb at his residence.

Thomas Robertson, a former officer with the Rocky Mount Police Department in Virginia, is one of the 545 people arrested and prosecuted so far in connection with the January 6 insurgency. The latest court filing was first reported by the Washington Post.

Robertson was released from prison in January after facing four federal counts. According to court documents, a judge consented to release him pending trial on the condition that he “refrain from possessing a firearm, destructive device, or other dangerous weapons.”

According to a motion to revoke Robertson’s release order, investigators recovered eight firearms at his Virginia home just four days after his release, including a Hawken Rifle and a Smith and Wesson.

During a court appearance, Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey warned Robertson about his conditions and gave him a second chance.

Less than three weeks after Robertson was indicted by a grand jury, the FBI acquired a search warrant to search his Yahoo email account, Venmo account, and Gunbroker.com account and discovered several transaction records and messages about gun purchases.

The FBI also searched his home and “not only found evidence that Robertson had amassed an arsenal of 34 firearms through a local [Federal Firearms License] in Roanoke, but agents also found a loaded M4 rifle, ammunition, and a partially assembled pipe bomb in Robertson’s home.”

The FBI interviewed the owner of Tactical Operations, and he identified Robertson as the gun buyer. The owner informed the FBI that Robertson had said that he couldn’t have the weapons because of his release terms but that Robertson had handled the rifles just one week before. The guns, according to the owner, are still waiting to be picked up.

Prosecutors claimed Robertson broke his parole conditions and should be returned to prison before his trial, claiming his actions “placed the public at risk.”

Prosecutors are now asking a judge to revoke Thomas Robertson’s bail, and arrest him for violating his pretrial release conditions for the second time.