Middlesex Man Accused Of Assaulting Cops On Jan. 6 Held Without Bail

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ – Middlesex County resident Gregory C. Yetman, accused of assaulting a cop during the Jan. 6 riots made a court appearance on Monday and is being held without bail until trial.

Yetman prompted a two-day manhunt last week by the FBI and local law enforcement when he fled into the woods after authorities attempted to serve him a warrant at his home in Helmetta. He later surrendered at the Monroe Police Department.

Yetman, 47, of Helmetta, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, the FBI said.

Additionally, Yetman is charged with misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Yetman picked up a canister of OC Pepper Spray and sprayed it at police officers defending the U.S. Capitol building for about 14 seconds.

Yetman, a former New Jersey Army National Guard police officer, had gone to Washington, D.C. on that day to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally at the Ellipse, the court document said. After the rally, wearing a green and black jacket and a neck gaiter, Yetman proceeded to the Capitol building, where he joined the mob.

Around 2:30 p.m. the same day, Yetman found a spray canister with chemical irritant on the ground, snatched it up, and, with his gaiter covering the lower portion of his face, pointed the canister at police officers and pulled the trigger, sending a long stream of OC pepper spray in the direction of multiple law enforcement officers, according to the court document. He then discarded the canister and walked back to the wall behind him.

The FBI also unsealed photographs and video stills that captured images of Yetman walking around other areas within the restricted perimeter of the U.S. Capitol grounds, including the Lower West Terrace near the Tunnel entrance.

In a series of social media posts, Yetman blamed the Jan. 6 violence on a “small faction that entered the Capitol and attacked officers” and attributed the chaos to Black Lives Matter activists and “a plethora of idiots from various groups and political parties,” according to court documents.

In the 34 months since the Capitol Riot, more than 1,200 people have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 400 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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