WASHINGTON: The hunt starts even when the smoke is still clearing on January 6: Dozens of federal agents go to work work by social media posts, analyze dozens of videos and anonymous tips because they rush to understand who did what day at the American democracy temple.
This effort is “One of the FBI’s greatest investigations ever done”, said Lorenzo Vidino, director of the program at the extremism at George Washington University.
Extraordinary efforts have resulted in, in less than a year, in the arrest and charging more than 725 supporters of Donald Trump which, after listening to the president came out repeatedly condemning what he claimed to have been stolen, sturming to the Capitol of the building as a member of the congress who was ready To ratify Joe Biden’s victory.
List that has grown almost from day to day, and in the end it can be doubled long: While the federal investigators initially estimate that 800 people took part in the siege of the Capitol, they now said this number was close to 2,000.
The defendant was mostly male (87%), most of them were white, and with an average age of 39 – “which is generally not extremist age”, according to Vidino, whose center has compiled detailed data about those accused.
They come from all over the United States, with varying socio-economic profiles (including lawyers, landscapers, real estate agents); And people with military backgrounds or who have significantly overrepresented bankruptcy.
Varied groups include right-wing extremists and conspiracy-minded, but also ordinary supporters Trump believes that the claims insisted that the election was stolen.
Most defendants are not charged with violence or vandalism but only by having illegally enter the building; They generally face only allegations of violations in without permission or non-orderly behavior on a limited basis.
Prosecutors appear excited to process group members as soon as possible, often through a defense bargaining agreement that avoids the need for experiments: 165 defendants have reached the agreement, and some 50 sentences have been sentenced.
Most of the sentences have been relatively light: a young man, who admitted that he had stolen beer from the home office of the Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was sentenced to 20 days in prison, to be served on weekends – allowing him to maintain his job.
But 34 years old Jacob Chansley, who immediately became famous after the photos of him stood bare-chested and wore horned hair caps in Capitol circulating throughout the world, received more serious sentences from 41 months.
His lawyer Al Watkins said the punishment gap sent the wrong message.
“The perspective is not right for those who believe that they are political prisoners,” he told AFP.
More sentences will begin to be reduced, towards those accused of the most serious crime: around 225 people accused of committing acts of violence, especially against the police Capitol.
The heaviest punishment has so far been to Robert Palmer, a 54-year-old Florida man accused of attacking the police with boards and fire extinguishers.
He received a five-year sentence.
About 40 people are being prosecuted by a criminal conspiracy, which means pre-organized attacks.
These serious accusations have been charged mainly to members of the right-rough groups such as Boys proud, oath of Keepers and three Percenters.
This defendant, some of which have been detained preventive for months, are expected to test the jury begin as soon as February.
One member of Boys Proud, a New York man in his 30s, has agreed to work with prosecutors in exchange for lighter punishment.
So far, no one is accused of inciting or a serious rebellion mentioned at the beginning of the investigation but it is difficult to prove.
Vidino said the prosecutor had “strived to be as imaginative as possible” in framing costs.
In the United States, he said, investigators can pursue foreign extremist groups but not American organizations that may have radical or violent ideology.
A remnants of key questions: Who, among key figures not in the Capitol build that day, may have incited or arranged the attack.
For now, investigators left important to members of Congress to pursue their own investigation.
Even if Republican senators are kept Trump from confidence in the Impeachment session in February, he has not been clear.
The DPR created the Committee Choose Cast Light in the role of the former president and his advisor.
If you find enough reason, it will not prevent the prosecutor from submission of costs.
And it will open a new chapter weighted in a broad investigation.