Two Colorado men arrested on charges stemming from US Capitol breach

Denver, Colorado - Two Colorado men were arrested this week on felony and misdemeanor charges relating to their alleged involvement in the US Capitol breach on January 6, 2021, according to an announcement from the US Department of Justice.

Two Coloradans have been charged over their alleged role in the 2021 US Capitol riot.
Two Coloradans have been charged over their alleged role in the 2021 US Capitol riot.  © JON CHERRY / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

The charges filed against Eric Zeis (37) of Monument and Justin Schulze (31) of Colorado Springs include a felony offense of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder as well as misdemeanor offenses including disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building.

According to a news release, Zeis and Schulze drove from their homes in El Paso County to Washington DC to attend former US President Donald Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally as Congress was certifying the 2020 election results.

After the rally, Zeis and Schulze joined a group of rioters that forced their way into the Capitol building while ignoring calls from Capitol Police to stop, officials said.

The pair then made their way through different parts of the building, and Zeis was involved in a group that collectively pushed officers out of the way, according to the Justice Department.

The case is being prosecuted by the US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section, and is being investigated by the FBI's Denver and Washington field offices.

More than a dozen Coloradans have faced federal charges in connection with January 6.

Cover photo: JON CHERRY / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

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