WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury has added six new counts Friday in a superseding indictment against a Maryland man accused of entering the U.S. Capitol with a handgun.
Christopher Alberts was arrested January 6 after police reportedly discovered him on the Capitol grounds during the riot armed with a Taurus G2C 9mm handgun. In a statement of facts filed at the time, investigators said Alberts was also found to have had a spare magazine and a gas mask on his person.
At the time, Alberts reportedly told police he had the firearm for personal protection and that he “did not intend on using the firearm to harm anyone.”
A federal grand jury indicted Alberts in January on four counts, including unlawful possession of a firearm on Capitol grounds, carrying a pistol without a license and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device.
On Friday, the Department of Justice filed a superseding indictment adding six more counts, including two counts alleging Alberts engaged in physical violence while in the Capitol building or a restricted grounds and one count of assaulting federal officers. Because Alberts is accused of being armed with a handgun at the time, each of those charges could carry 10-to-20 years in prison with a dangerous weapon enhancement.
Alberts isn’t the only Capitol riot defendant to face firearms charges. An Alabama man, Lonnie Coffman, was indicted in January on multiple charges alleging he brought 11 Molotov cocktails, three handguns, a rifle and a shotgun to D.C. on January 6. The Department of Justice has also alleged that audio from January 6 captured “zip tie guy” Eric Gavelek Munchel and his mother discussing stashing weapons in a bag outside the Capitol – although the DOJ has not said what it believes those weapons were. Munchel is accused of entering the Capitol with a stun gun and grabbing flex-cuffs off a table once inside.
Alberts’ next court appearance is scheduled or May 25 at 10 a.m. in the District of Columbia.
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