The man who was armed with an assault rifle, a Glock, and a pistol and threatened to “put a bullet in” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s “noggin” has been arrested in Georgia.
Cleveland Grover Meredith Jr. was arrested days after the attack on the Capitol. He has been charged with making interstate threats to Pelosi, the Department of Justice stated in a press release.
Meredith has also been charged with possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.
The FBI found Meredith at a Holiday Inn in Washington. He reportedly told officials that he arrived too late from Colorado to take part in the storming of the Capitol.
“I’m trying but currently stuck in Cambridge, OH with trailer lights being fixed,” Meredith wrote in one text message to friends, the FBI stated.
In other text messages, Meredith allegedly threatened to run Pelosi over. He also wrote that he was in possession of “a ton of 5.56 armor-piercing ammo.”
Meredith, who is the owner of a car wash in Georgia, bought a billboard that links his business to the QAnon conspiracy theory. He has referred to himself as “a patriot among the millions who love this country.”
Last week, Pelosi and other lawmakers were placed in danger by pro-Trump supporters who rioted at the Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from verifying President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win.
Rioters breached the Capitol and many of them chanted “Where’s Nancy.” Some of them were able to break into Pelosi’s office. They vandalized the office and stole a laptop.
Richard Barnett, 60, of Arkansas was arrested Friday after photos of him with his feet on Pelosi’s desk went viral on social media.
On Sunday, Pelosi laid the blame for the siege at the feet of Donald Trump. Trump had encouraged marched to the Capitol.
In a letter to House members Sunday night, Pelosi wrote that the House would begin proceedings to attempt to remove Trump — either via the 25th Amendment or impeachment on Monday.
“What happened was a terrible, terrible violation of the Capitol…, of the legislative branch of government by the president of the United States,” Pelosi said.
Capitol Police report that dozens were arrested for participating in the siege, which left five people dead including one of their own.
Officials say dozens have been arrested so far, including West Virginia House Delegate Derrick Evans. Evans videotaped himself breaking into the Capitol building and shared the video on his Facebook page.
He instantly received major backlash and calls for him to resign.
Evans was arrested on Friday by the FBI at his home. While he was being taken into custody his Grandmother told a reporter that he was a “good man” and then she thanked Trump for throwing a riot at the White House.
Evans had refused requests to resign, but after being arrested he penned a letter to Gov. Jim Justice and resigned from his post with the House of Delegates.
On Sunday, the DOJ also announced the arrest and charges against two men who were armed with tactical gear and restraints including zip ties during the riots at the Capitol.
On Thursday, just one day after the riot, John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, at the University of Toronto’s Munk School, contacted the F.B.I. that he believed the man with the zip ties was retired Lieutenant Colonel Larry Rendall Brock, Jr., a Texas-based Air Force Academy graduate and combat veteran.
Brock was arrested shortly after being identified.
