Source: United States Department of Justice News
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment today against an Oregon man on charges related to his actions before and during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Jared Wise, 49, of Bend, Oregon, was indicted for civil disorder; and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, both felonies; along with four misdemeanors which were contained in the original criminal complaint: knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; uttering loud, threatening, or abusive language, or engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct, in any of the Capitol Buildings; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in any of the Capitol Buildings..
According to court documents, footage from U.S. Capitol CCTV and Metropolitan Police Department body-worn camera depicts Wise inside and on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. At approximately 2:23 p.m., Wise entered the U.S. Capitol building through the Senate Wing Door. After entering, Wise clapped his hands and raised his arms in triumph. Wise walked through the Crypt and past the Memorial Door, ultimately returning and exiting through a window adjacent to the Senate Wing Door at approximately 2:32 p.m. While inside the U.S. Capitol building, Wise is seen wearing a blue jacket and a dark facemask and carrying a dark backpack.
A review of MPD body-worn camera footage reveals Wise engaging with police officers. At approximately 4:21 p.m., on the Upper West Terrace, Wise tells MPD officers, “You guys are disgusting. I’m former—I’m former law enforcement. You’re disgusting. You are the Nazi. You are the Gestapo. You can’t see it. . . . Shame on you! Shame on you! Shame on you!” When violence against law enforcement began in front of Wise, including officers being knocked to the ground directly in front of him, Wise turned in the direction of the violence and shouted, “Yeah, fuck them! Yeah, kill ‘em!” A few seconds later, as assaults continued, he shouted in the direction of the rioters attacking the police line, “Kill ‘em! Kill ‘em! Kill ‘em!”
Wise was employed as a Special Agent and Supervisory Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 2004 through 2017.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office with valuable assistance from the Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police.
In the 28 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.