A Georgia man was arrested and charged with several felonies, including assaulting law enforcement with a weapon during the infamous January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. Cylester Maxwell, a 42-year-old from Alpharetta, is also facing misdemeanor offenses for his role in the disruption of a joint session of Congress tasked with certifying the electoral votes of the 2020 presidential election. These allegations were detailed in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to court documents, Maxwell was identified on video footage participating in the escalation of violence at the Capitol. It's alleged that he assisted in converting a large "TRUMP" sign frame into a makeshift battering ram against a police line. Maxwell was seen to quickly move up and assist with the object, using both hands before a shift to a one-handed grip, as he braced himself against another rioter. He is accused to have helped forcefully shove the sign into a line of officers, and was subsequently involved in pulling away a barricade, barriers that were meant to contain the surging crowd. This information comes directly from the Department of Justice's reports on the ongoing investigation.
The arrest of Maxwell is a recent development in a series of nationwide arrests connected to the Capitol breach. To date, over 1,532 individuals have been arrested in relation to the events of that day, with more than 571 charged with serious felonies involving assaults on law enforcement. The Department of Justice and the FBI's Atlanta and Washington Field Offices, along with the U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department, have been actively investigating and prosecuting these cases. Individuals are reminded that a criminal complaint is not an evidence of guilt, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, as underlined by the DOJ's statement.
The investigation into the Capitol riots continues to unfold, and authorities are still seeking tips from the public. Anyone with information is encouraged to reach out to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit their tip line at tips.fbi.gov.
