Capitol rioter who broke into Nancy Pelosi’s office denied bail
Richard Barnett will remain in a federal prison pending trial.
A Trump supporter who was seen sitting at the desk of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the U.S. Capitol riots has been denied bond. Judge Beryl Howell announced the ruling on Thursday (Jan. 28). Richard Barnett will remain behind bars in a federal prison pending trial, according to KNWA.
“This was not a peaceful protest. Hundreds of people came to Washington, D.C. to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power,” Judge Howell said during the hearing. “We’re still living here in Washington, D.C. with the consequences of the violence that this defendant is alleged to have participated in,” she added.
Barnett is facing several charges, including unlawfully entering a restricted area with a weapon, theft of public property and violent entry.
On Jan. 6, images of Barnett inside of Pelosi’s office went viral on social media. In one of the photos, he sat at her desk and had his feet propped up on her important documents. He also left a threatening note on one of her folders, which read, “WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN.”
After he left the Capitol building, the 60-year-old from Gravette, Arkansas was later seen outside holding an envelope that he had taken from Pelosi’s office. In a video, he bragged about taking the mail, but claims he didn’t steal it. “I left a quarter on her desk,” he told a news outlet.
The mayor of Gravette said Barnett’s actions have brought threats and unwanted attention to their small community. “It’s a shame something like this is what puts you in the public eye,” Mayor Kurt Maddox said. “This is not the city of Gravette. This one person is not who Gravette is and not who the people are.”
Barnett’s next court date is scheduled for Tuesday (Feb. 2) at 2 p.m. EST. If convicted, he faces more than 11 years in prison.