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Ocala man accused of throwing chair at Capitol officers during riot

Suspect’s wife also face charges

The FBI says Jamie Buteau threw a chair at Capitol officers during the riot. (FBI)

OCALA, Fla. – An Ocala man has been arrested along with his wife because he threw a chair at officers during the Capitol riot earlier this year, according to the FBI.

Records show Jamie Buteau and Jennifer Buteau were arrested at their home in Ocala on June 24 on several federal charges.

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Agents investigating the riot said they saw the Buteaus on surveillance video and also received several tips from members of the public who sent social media posts showing the couple was in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6 and made their way inside the Capitol building.

One such surveillance video showed Jamie and Jennifer Buteau entering the building at about 2:25 p.m. through a broken door in the Senate wing then minutes later, Jamie Buteau is seen holding a chair, according to the affidavit.

“Neither the CCTV nor the Parler video shows Jamie Buteau throw the chair, but the timing of events as shown through both videos makes clear Jamie Buteau threw the chair,” agents wrote in the report.

Stills provided in the affidavit show two Capitol officers running to a door that was rolling down to keep rioters out then the chair flying under the door as it was closing.

The FBI says Jennifer Buteau and Jamie Buteau entered the Capitol building during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. (FBI)

Authorities said the chair bounced off a door and hit one of the officers.

After throwing the chair, Jamie Buteau reunited with his wife, walked to a lobby and grabbed another chair around 2:32 p.m., according to the report. Records show the couple left the Capitol at about 2:46 p.m.

Also included in the report is a screenshot from Jennifer Buteau’s Facebook page in which she admits to deleting a live video from the Capitol because she didn’t want to “entertain Antifa.”

Jamie and Jennifer Buteau are facing charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a restricted building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol Building. Jamie Buteau faces additional charges of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building and engaging in physical violence on Capitol grounds.

On Jan. 6, a mob of former President Donald Trump supporters pushed past police and entered the Capitol building as lawmakers were preparing to certify Joe Biden’s presidential win. Five people died during the violence: Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick and four demonstrators.

Hundreds of arrests have been made thus far, a number that includes several Floridians.

Among the most notable local suspects are a Sanford firefighter, a Proud Boys organizer and a Marion County man who was previously convicted of attempted murder.

Three others – Connie and Kelly Meggs and Kenneth Harrelson – are accused of plotting their actions ahead of Jan. 6 through phone calls and online conversations as members of the Oath Keepers.

Anyone with information about someone who was involved in the riot can find details on how to report them here.


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