Aiexpress – A Columbus man and former Republican congressional candidate from Ohio has been arrested by the FBI for his participation in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Cleophus Dulaney, 63, was taken into custody on Friday in Columbus, Ohio, where he is believed to have been living in the Hungarian Village neighborhood. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington has charged him with obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. These charges are considered felonies, as stated in a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Dulaney is facing multiple misdemeanor charges, which include entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, committing physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in the Capitol grounds or buildings, and committing acts of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.
According to court documents, Dulaney was among the rioters who aggressively confronted Capitol police officers during the attempt to block the electoral college certification of President Joe Biden. The confrontation took place as the rioters approached a barricade constructed from bike racks.
The rioters pushed and yanked on the barricade until it broke, driving it into the officers and attacking them. Dulaney pulled the bike racks to the side, creating a corridor for the mass of rioters to advance on the Capitol.
The rioters approached another barricade guarded by police. As officers retreated, the mob, led by Dulaney, smashed past the wall while chanting “USA, USA, USA!” and “OUR HOUSE!” Dulaney, who remained in the crowd, leaned over the rioters as they removed another bike rack serving as a barrier and drove it at police officers, wounding at least two.
Investigators were able to identify Dulaney using open-source video of the insurgency and his social media profiles, which included Parlor. According to court records, one screenshot provided in the charge documents shows a Parlor user identified as “cleophusdulaney” admitting to being at the Capitol and inciting the violence.
According to court records, Dulaney gained recognition in various online communities as the “#BlueVelvetRioter” due to his distinctive velvet do-rag.
Dulaney competed for Ohio’s 3rd Congressional District seat in 2020 but was defeated by Mark Richardson in the Republican primary.
