Source: United States Department of Justice
WASHINGTON – A Colorado man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including assaulting law enforcement, related to his actions 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.
Todd Branden Casey, 53, of Denver, Colorado, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. In addition to the felonies, Casey is charged with misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, impeding passage through the capitol grounds or buildings, and act of physical violence in the capitol grounds or buildings.
Casey was arrested on Aug. 30, 2023, in Georgetown, Colorado, and made his initial appearance in the District of Colorado.
According to court documents, by approximately 2:00 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, a police line was set up on the West Plaza on Capitol grounds in an effort to protect the U.S. Capitol from advancing rioters. Metal barriers composed of bike racks were set up to act as barriers between the officers and the rioters. According to police body-worn camera footage, an individual, later identified as Casey, approached a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer at about 2:11 p.m., shouting, “F*** you. F*** all of you. F*** all of you.”
At 2:12 p.m., Casey slammed his hands against the metal barriers and began to taunt officers by shouting, “Take that swing at me, m*****f*****. Take that swing. I ain’t afraid. What are you saying? Speak up!” and “I would have come locked and loaded if I knew this was happening!”
At approximately 2:27 p.m., Casey appeared to give orders to the other rioters by stating, “Now! Push it! Push it!” Seconds later, other rioters in the area responded to Casey’s encouragement by baiting and cursing at the officers while aggressively kicking the metal barriers in order to knock them down. Minutes later, Casey shoved an MPD officer in the chest.
At approximately 2:34 p.m., numerous rioters breached the West Plaza and began to swarm law enforcement officers. Many rioters surrounded an MPD officer, and Casey grabbed ahold of the MPD officer by the shoulder.. Once Casey grabbed hold of the officer, he appeared to shove the officer toward the Capitol building until a Capitol Police officer was able to pull the MPD officer away from Casey.
By 3:00 p.m., Casey was in the vicinity of an archway connecting the inaugural stage to a corridor that provided access to the interior of the Capitol building known as the Lower West Terrace Tunnel or “the tunnel.” Police officers had formed a line inside the tunnel, attempting to keep rioters from advancing further into the Capitol building. Casey entered the tunnel at least three separate times.
At about 3:12 p.m., Casey pushed in a rocking motion with others in the tunnel against the established police line. Casey was then expelled from the tunnel by police at approximately 3:18 p.m.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Wyoming and the District of Colorado.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Denver and Washington Field Offices, which identified Casey as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #125 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 31 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,106 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.