Baltimore man pleads guilty to a felony charge after participating in Jan. 6 insurrection

A Baltimore resident has pled guilty to a felony charge after participating in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced late Friday afternoon.

Narayana Rheiner agreed to plead guilty to “obstructing law enforcement officers during a civil disorder,” according to plea documents

Rheiner was arrested in March and was charged in a criminal complaint, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office press release. The case, was being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

Rheiner lives in Baltimore, according to the statement of offenses, and drove to D.C. to protest the counting and certification of Electoral College votes. He attended the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6 and then went to protest at the Capitol.

“At approximately 2:04 pm, the defendant went to the front of the police line and waved other rioters to come forward toward the police line and yelled to the other rioters to ‘push up’ on the line,” according to the documents.

Rheiner also “pulled a riot shield out of an officer’s hands, and the officer fell on the ground,” the documents said.

Around 2:44 pm, Rheiner entered the Capitol and went to the Rotunda area.

Blocked by police in one hallway, he yelled “You know how many times I’ve been sprayed today? That shit ain’t nothing!” and “Why don’t you just go home!” according to the documents. Rheiner also told them, “we’re not backing up!”

cadence.quaranta@thebaltimorebanner.com