Massachusetts man charged in connection with Capitol riot

Mark Hayward, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·2 min read

Feb. 18—A resident of Athol, Mass. — termed "Sweaterhead" by internet sleuths — was arrested on Friday and charged with assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, federal prosecutors announced.

Vincent J. Gillespie, 60, is charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement, civil disorder, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds and related offenses.

According to a statement issued by federal prosecutors, Gillespie gained control of a police shield while confronting a line of police officers defending the doors and the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol. He allegedly used the shield to ram police while shouting "traitor" and "treason," the statement reads. He also grabbed an officer by the arm and attempted to pull him into the crowd.

The Boston FBI said the Western Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force and Athol Police arrested Gillespie without incident Friday morning. He was scheduled to make an initial court appearance later in the day.

Gillespie was previously featured in photographs AFO-141.

"FBI Boston sought the public's assistance in identifying him through a media campaign launched last September and received multiple tips from the public identifying him," Boston FBI said in a statement.

Several photographs of AFO-141 — some showing him wearing a gray, knit stocking cap — have been circulating on the internet. The website SeditionHunters.org, which wages a social media campaign to track down participants in the Jan. 6 riots, identified him as #sweaterhead.

Other photos show him with gray hair and bushy eyebrows. Still other images show him with blood on the side of his head and him being treated for pepper spray.

More than 750 people have been charged so far with crimes involving the breach of the U.S. Capitol, 235 with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

Two from New Hampshire have been charged. Bridgewater resident Thomas Gallagher was sentenced to two years of probation, 60 hours of community service and a $500 restitution payment.

Keene resident Jason Riddle has pleaded guilty to two charges in connection with the incident.