Two Georgia men, identified as brothers, have been slapped with a slew of charges for their involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot that has been staining America's democratic fabric. Cepane Sarty, 38, from Marietta, and his elder sibling, Seth Sarty, 45, of Rockmart, find themselves in hot water after Federal Bureau of Investigation agents took them into custody on Feb. 5. The arrests come just over three years after the infamous and deadly riot that shocked the nation.
Breaking into the Capitol through a door in the Senate Wing, the Sarty brothers joined a mob of rioters who clashed with police. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the pair made their way into then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office suite and the Capitol Rotunda before they were hit with a chemical agent. But their retreat was brief; they returned to stand at the forefront of the crowd, resisting police attempts to move them from the scene.
Federal officials have laid out the charges against the brothers, which include felony assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. They are also facing misdemeanor offenses such as knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, among others. This slew of charges stems from the evidence, including bodycam and security footage, revealing that they were "shoving officers" and had resisted attempts by police to clear the rotunda of rioters, as detailed by WSB-TV Atlanta.
Since the breach of the Capitol back in 2021, the Sartys' indictment contributes to the more than 1,313 individuals who've been accused of related crimes in nearly every state. Among them, over 469 persons have faced felony charges for assaulting or impeding law enforcement. In Georgia alone, 24 federal cases have been filed in connection with the Capitol events. The Department of Justice continues to seek information from the public, urging anyone with tips to step forward and contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or via their website.
