CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former Marine Lee Stutts lives on the tip of a peaceable Lake Norman peninsula, however on Jan. 6, 2021, he readied for battle, prosecutors say.
The 46-year-old Terrell man wore a black helmet with a Marine Corps emblem sticker on the again as he assaulted at the least seven officers in the course of the Capitol riots, in keeping with an FBI affidavit launched by federal prosecutors after his arrest in North Carolina Thursday.
In a legal grievance filed within the District of Columbia, Stutts was charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding officers with a lethal or harmful weapon and obstruction of legislation enforcement throughout a civil dysfunction, each felonies. He turns into at the least the thirty first North Carolinian to be charged within the Jan. 6 assault.
He additionally was charged with the misdemeanor offenses of coming into and remaining in a restricted constructing or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted constructing or grounds, and interesting in bodily violence in a restricted constructing or grounds.
Stutts is accused of pushing and shoving officers along with his fingers, a barricade, a battering ram and a motorbike rack as he helped lead the Capitol breach, in keeping with the arrest warrant affidavit.
The riots disrupted the joint session of Congress the place electoral votes have been counted within the 2020 presidential election. The depend licensed Joe Biden because the winner over Donald Trump.
‘Waving Different Rioters On’
Stutts lives in a split-level house in-built 1975 on Clement Circle, Catawba County property tax information present.
The house and its half-acre lot, about 33 miles northwest of Charlotte, are valued at $866,600, the general public information present.
That’s modest on a lake the place mansions value tens of millions of {dollars} line the shore.
Stutts didn’t return a telephone message from The Charlotte Observer on Friday.
On Jan. 6, 2021, Stutts sported a “2020 Trump Hold America Nice” shirt over a long-sleeved black and grey camouflage print hoodie, in keeping with the affidavit filed by an unnamed FBI particular agent.
He additionally wore an American flag and eagle print neck gaiter and had a backpack on.
After becoming a member of a “Cease the Steal” rally on the Ellipse in Washington, Stutts darted by way of damaged fencing and over a wall to affix fellow rioters on the west plaza of the Capitol, in keeping with the affidavit.
“He could be seen waiving (sic) different rioters on as he made a beeline for the road of U.S. Capitol Law enforcement officials blocking the way in which to the southwest steps of the Capitol,” the agent says within the affidavit.
Stutts wrapped his arms round an officer from behind and shoved an officer from behind along with his fingers, in keeping with the indictment.
Physique-cam and closed-circuit police video additionally present Stutts assaulting 4 different officers after extra police arrived to attempt to maintain their line with metallic bike racks, the FBI agent stated.
‘Pumping His Fists’
Stutts and different rioters later moved a big signal on wheels with a metallic body towards the police line and barricade. “The rioters used the signal as a battering ram in opposition to officers trying to carry the road,” the agent stated.
Stutts then grabbed the bike rack barricade beneath the signal and pushed it towards the officers, in keeping with the affidavit.
After police took the signal from the rioters, video exhibits Stutts throwing a water bottle on the police line, the FBI agent stated.
Later that afternoon, “Stutts was one of many rioters main the way in which” in a remaining breaking of the police line, the agent stated. “After the Plaza was overrun, Stutts may very well be noticed elevating his arms and pumping his fists in a celebratory method as cops retreated from the oncoming swarm of rioters.”
Stutts was scheduled to make his preliminary look in a U.S. courtroom Friday within the Charlotte-based Western District of North Carolina. The result of the listening to wasn’t instantly accessible.
Stutts joins at the least 1,200 others from all 50 states who’ve been charged in reference to the Capitol breach, which brought about $2.7 million in harm.
His case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Legal professional’s workplace for the District of Columbia and the Division of Justice Nationwide Safety Division’s Counterterrorism Part. U.S. Legal professional Dena King’s Charlotte-based workplace is offering help.
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