New Jersey Man Gregory Yetman Ordered Held Without Bail in U.S. Capitol Attack Trial

Police – Accident – Death – Obituary News : New Jersey Man Accused of Spraying Chemical Irritant on Police Officers During Capitol Attack Appears in Court

A New Jersey man accused of spraying police officers with a chemical irritant during the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol made his initial federal court appearance on Monday. Gregory Yetman, 47, was ordered to be held without bail until trial.

The FBI released photos during the U.S. District Court hearing in Trenton, which they claim showed Yetman spraying the liquid on officers during the January 6th riot. Yetman, a National Guard member, was assigned a federal public defender at the appearance.

According to the FBI, Yetman is facing several charges, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; and committing an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

During the court hearing, an FBI officer, whose identity was withheld, presented an affidavit that included photos from body-worn cameras of officers from Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department. The photos allegedly showed Yetman spraying liquid towards a group of officers during the riot. The FBI confirmed that the liquid used was a chemical irritant.

The affidavit also mentioned that on January 14th, 2021, the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command received information that Yetman had admitted being present at the Capitol riot through a series of Facebook posts. In one of the posts submitted as evidence, Yetman wrote, “As someone who supports our President and loves this country but hates where it’s going thanks to corruption and fraud by a tyrannical governing class, I can’t sit by and do nothing.” He added that he positioned himself between rioters and those who were peacefully protesting the election.

Yetman further expressed remorse in his Facebook posts, stating, “To my brothers and sisters in blue, I’m sorry for what happened at the Capitol. We’re better than that.”

According to the affidavit, when FBI agents interviewed Yetman on January 22nd, 2021, he acknowledged being at the Capitol but claimed he was trying to help people exposed to chemical irritants by pouring water into their eyes. Yetman also emphasized his support for law enforcement and stated that anyone entering the Capitol or assaulting officers should be prosecuted.

However, the photos included in the affidavit contradicted Yetman’s claims. The FBI identified him as the individual spraying a stream of liquid, identified as MK-46H, at officers for 12 to 14 seconds. The FBI special agent also mentioned that another rioter had initially used the canister to spray police before Yetman picked it up and continued spraying its contents.

The federal public defender assigned to represent Yetman did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and a message left at Yetman’s home was unanswered. Yetman had eluded authorities for two days before surrendering peacefully on Friday.

Approximately 1,200 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. Of those, over 800 have pleaded guilty or been convicted, and more than 700 have been sentenced. The sentences range from three days to 22 years of imprisonment.

The case against Yetman is ongoing, and his arraignment in Washington, where he is expected to enter a plea, has not been scheduled yet..