A Kittery man has been charged with being part of the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Lincoln Deming, 44, of Kittery, was arrested Saturday in connection with “actions and the actions of others” that “disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election,” according to records filed in federal court in Washington.
Deming is the 12th person from Maine charged in connection with the Jan. 6 riots.
After Joe Biden defeated then-President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election, Trump refused to admit defeat, falsely claiming that the election had been rigged. On Jan. 6, rioters stormed the Capitol, temporarily halting the electoral count. Congress finished the electoral count on the evening of Jan. 6 after the rioting had ended, and Biden assumed the presidency on Jan. 20.
During the riots, “members of the U.S. Capitol Police attempted to maintain order and keep the crowd from entering the Capitol; however, around 2 p.m., individuals in the crowd forced entry into the U.S. Capitol, including by breaking windows and by assaulting members of the U.S. Capitol Police, as others in the crowd encouraged and assisted in those acts,” according to the court filing.
Deming, while on the West Plaza of the U.S. Capitol in the early afternoon on Jan. 6, threw an unidentified object toward police officers, according to court records. Also while on the West Plaza, video allegedly shows Deming “pulling on a bike rack barricade in an apparent attempt to infiltrate the police line and allow rioters to overtake the West Plaza. He fell while apparently using his body weight to pull on the barrier.” Deming, who at times wore a gas mask and sunglasses, according to court records, also made an obscene gesture toward police.
According to photos with the court filing, Deming wore a red “Trump 45” winter hat, a reference to Trump being the 45th president of the United States. Biden is the 46th U.S. president.
Deming entered the U.S. Capitol through the Senate Wing Door “at approximately 2:23 p.m. and remained inside the Capitol for approximately 33 minutes. He made his way to the third floor, where he attempted to open several locked doors, including the Dome Bulfinch Door. He also entered the Senate Gallery. Deming exited the Capitol through the Rotunda Doors at approximately 2:56 p.m.,” according to court documents.
Deming is charged with civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; entering and remaining in the Gallery of Congress; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and parading, picketing, or demonstrating in a Capitol building, according to records filed in court.
Since Jan. 6, 2021, federal authorities have arrested more than 1,424 people for crimes related to the riots, including 11 others in Maine.
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