ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man is facing a number of felony and misdemeanor charges for his alleged involvement in the breach of the U.S. Capitol and the riot that ensued on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the Department of Justice.
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Thirty-seven-year-old Peter Willey was arrested in Roanoke on Thursday, along with 31-year-old Ethan Mauck, of Troutville, Pennsylvania. A criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia shows that both men appeared in the Western District of Virginia on the following charges:
- Felony - Obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder
- Misdemeanor - Entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds
- Misdemeanor - Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds
- Misdemeanor - Disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds
For some, Jan. 6, 2021, is etched into U.S. history as a day in which the Capitol was scarred by violence as thousands attempted to overthrow the peaceful transition of presidential power. The New York Times described the event as one of the most severe Capitol intrusions since the British forces set the building ablaze in 1814.
Court documents allege that both Willey and Mauck took part in the Jan. 6 riot, descending upon the U.S. Capitol alongside a myriad of others. Before this, they reportedly attended the “Stop the Steal” rally, where President Donald Trump exhorted his supporters to “fight like hell.”
In photographic and video evidence, rioters near Willey and Mauck can be seen jumping over a ledge despite the “area closed” signs that lined it, chanting “Fight for Trump.” Video shows Mauck and Willey then entering the restricted grounds of the Capitol before forcing their way toward bike rack barricades and the police line on the Lower West Plaza, according to court documents. In this location, a violent struggle broke out between the rioters and law enforcement, prompting police to use pepper spray in an effort to disperse the crowd.
At one point, Mauck picked up a police bike rack that had fallen and pushed it toward an officer dressed in riot gear, court documents claim. Then at about 1:40 p.m., Willey is seen helping other rioters push a large sign on wheels toward the police line and barricade, attempting to use it as a battering ram as the massive crowd tried to push further into the tunnel.
Roughly an hour later, both Willey and Mauck are seen advancing deeper into the tunnel, where a “violent and chaotic scene took place,” the affidavit reads. Shortly after, rioters began “pushing against the police in unison, known as a “heave-ho.”
Mauck and Willey didn’t leave the tunnel until 3:04 p.m. when law enforcement officers were able to push them and other rioters out.
In the 31 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,100 people have been arrested throughout the U.S., including Jamie Ferguson, Jacob Fracker, Thomas Robertson, Jeremy Groseclose and Joshua Haynes in Central and Southwest Virginia. This also includes more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.