WASHINGTON — The Justice Department says a South Florida man linked to the Proud Boys sent menacing text messages to an FBI agent after learning he was being investigated in connection with the Capitol riot.
Barry Bennett Ramey was arrested Thursday morning on charges of assaulting police, engaging in physical violence on Capitol grounds, entering a restricted building and civil disorder stemming from his alleged role in the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol Building.
In a statement of facts filed in D.C. District Court, prosecutors allege Parler videos from Jan. 6 show Ramey spraying a U.S. Capitol Police officer in the eyes with a chemical irritant on the stairwell between the Lower West and Upper West terraces. A few seconds later, prosecutors say, the video shows Ramey spraying a second officer.
During the investigation of Ramey, FBI agents in Miami allegedly learned from multiple confidential sources that Ramey was included on a master list of Proud Boys members in Southern Florida. They also determined a cellphone associated with his number had been at the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6.
In February, an FBI agent left his business card with an associate of Ramey’s while attempting to interview him. A day later, the agent received a call from Ramey’s attorney, who said his client had learned the agent wanted to interview him.
Then, earlier this month, according to court documents, the agent received a call on his work cell phone from a person he believed to be Ramey who asked if it was him and, cryptically, “And you still live at [your affiant’s home address]?” When the agent asked who was calling, Ramey reportedly hung up immediately.
A short time later, the agent said, he received a text message from the same number which included the VIN for a vehicle he’d previously owned. The agent then received a follow-up text reading, “Check that VIN number. ;).”
It was not immediately clear Thursday afternoon whether Ramey had yet made an initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge in his home district.
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