ORLANDO, Fla. — While sifting through hundreds of faces captured in video and photos suspected of being involved in the U.S. Capitol siege, FBI agents zeroed in on a man wearing a white hat and carrying a blue Trump flag.


What You Need To Know

  • Steve Omar Maldonado charged in connection with the January 6 attack on US Capitol

  • Investigators say acquaintances gave them info needed to ID him from photos, video from that day

  • Maldonado arrested at Orlando International Airport on Wednesday by FBI agents

Thanks to information from several of Steve Omar Maldonado's acquaintances, investigators say Maldonado has been identified and charged in connection with the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

He was arrested by FBI agents Wednesday at Orlando International Airport.

According to court documents filed in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida, Maldonado was identified by three unidentified acquaintances who have known him "for many years."

One of them — only identified as Complainant 1 — contacted the FBI after recognizing Maldonado from news coverage of the Capitol riot.

A second person — identified as Complainant 2 — confirmed to agents that it was Maldonado in the Capitol on January 6, while Complainant 3 said they "received videos from Maldonado that Maldonado recorded of himself from outside and inside the Capitol," a criminal complaint in the case said.

After finding social media photos of Maldonado, agents said they were able to match them to his driver's license photo.

Complainants 1 and 2 also told investigators that they recognized Maldonado's voice in recordings from inside the Capitol, the complaint said.

When confronted by FBI agents, Maldonado reportedly told them he had been at the Capitol on January 6 and identified himself in a photo from inside the building.

"Maldonado admitted to entering the Capitol and entering the Senate through the doors at the top," the complaint said. 

He is charged with entering a restricted building or grounds, violent entry or disorderly conduct, and participating in a parade, demonstration or picket on Capitol grounds.

Maldonado was released on a $25,000 bond, and his case was removed to a court in Washington, D.C., where he was ordered to appear before a judge on Friday. Federal prosecutors didn't seek detention.

-

Facebook Twitter