Fleming Island man charged with damaging door, disorderly conduct in J6 U.S. Capitol riot

Steve Patterson, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
·2 min read
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Supporters of then-President Donal Trump storm the U.S. Capitol following a rally with Trump on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C.
Supporters of then-President Donal Trump storm the U.S. Capitol following a rally with Trump on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C.
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A Clay County man has been indicted on a federal felony charge of damaging government property during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Marcus Smith, 47, was arrested Friday in Fleming Island on a seven-count list of charges returned last week by a federal grand jury in Washington.

The U.S. Justice Department said in a release Monday that Smith faced a judge in Florida for his initial court appearance, although records in Jacksonville’s federal court don’t reflect that.

Smith’s indictment charged him with causing more than $1,000 damage to an interior door, a damage threshold that makes the charge a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Protesters are shown pressed into a U.S. Capitol entrance in this image of the Jan. 6, 2021 riot. Arrows on the image were placed by authorities to show a plastic shield like those used by police being passed through a crowd.
Protesters are shown pressed into a U.S. Capitol entrance in this image of the Jan. 6, 2021 riot. Arrows on the image were placed by authorities to show a plastic shield like those used by police being passed through a crowd.

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The indictment also includes three charges — entering restricted grounds, disorderly conduct on restricted grounds and engaging in physical violence on those grounds — that could each result in up to a year behind bars, as well as three other misdemeanor charges.

The disruption happened on the day that Congress gathered to ratify President Joe Biden’s election victory over former President Donald Trump at a joint session presided over by then-Vice President Mike Pence.

Trump supporters, some chanting “Hang Mike Pence,” overran security to protest the gathering, struggling with police and shutting down the building for several hours before officers regained control of the area.

Smith’s charges refer to the restricted grounds as a place where the vice president would be visiting, but it wasn’t clear whether the charges refer to the Capitol overall or the chamber where Pence was standing.

Smith is among 1,265 people charged with some part in the Capitol riot, which government estimates have said cost $2.7 million in repairs and expenses.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Fleming Island man charged with damaging property in U.S. Capitol riot