- A former New York State Senate candidate has been charged in the January 6
Capitol riot . - Daniel Christmann, 38, boasted in Instagram messages about entering the building, the FBI alleged.
- Christmann has described himself as a plumber from Brooklyn "taking on these full of crap politicians."
A former New York State Senate candidate has been arrested and charged with being involved in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.
In an affidavit filed in federal court, an FBI agent accused Daniel Christmann, 38, of Brooklyn of storming the Capitol building during the insurrection.
The agent said multiple people tipped off investigators about incriminating posts made to Christmann's now-deleted Instagram account for his failed run for state senate, @dannyforsenate.
Christmann has described himself on social media as "a plumber from Brooklyn now an activist taking on these full of crap politicians."
The affidavit, included within a criminal complaint, included screenshots of the posts within the Capitol building's halls. It also included several photos of crowds at the Capitol, pinpointing where Christmann was standing.
The documents said Christmann also boasted in multiple Instagram conversations about entering the building. One person asked him on January 7 whether Christmann "stormed the Capitol," and he responded,"Yeah im not going to lie," according to the FBI agent.
When another person asked if he went "inside" the Capitol, Christmann responded, "How could I not?" The FBI agent said in yet another conversation, Christmann told someone he "scaled a wall on a garden hose."
The documents also accused Christmann of sending private Facebook messages instructing them to delete and remove videos, after he learned that one of his friends and his former campaign manager got arrested.
"It's go time on the end of times," one of the messages said.
Christmann has been charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or ground, disorderly conduct in a capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building.
He is expected to appear in federal court later Wednesday. It's unclear if Christmann has a lawyer.
So far, more than 590 people have been arrested and charged for their involvement in the insurrection.