West Chester Army Vet, 80, Charged In U.S. Capitol Breach

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — A Chester County Army veteran has been charged after witnesses identified him as among the crowd who entered the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Agents identified Gary Wickersham, 80, of West Chester as appearing in photos of the Jan. 6 incident at the U.S. Capitol, according to the federal complaint. Two people who knew Wickersham identified him in the photos, the FBI said.

Wickersham later admitted he was among those at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, according to an FBI report.

He is charged with entering restricted buildings and disorderly conduct, the federal complaint said.

The FBI said Wickersham told federal agents he traveled to the Capitol by bus to attend a rally with Trump supporters. Wickersham described the gathering at the Capitol as full of "others cursing, screaming, knocking cops away, breaking windows and doors, and entering the Capitol," and he told investigators he believed "many of the protesters were members of Antifa."

According to the FBI complaint, Wickersham said he was only inside the Capitol for 10 to 15 minutes, but walked by some offices in what agents surmised was the Capitol Crypta around 2:15 p.m. on Jan. 6, based on descriptions and surveillance. According to the complaint, Wickersham said he believed he was authorized to enter the Capitol because "he pays his taxes." The reports said he told two people that he was inside the Capitol building.

Wickersham told investigators the Jan. 6 event was "staged" and said that law enforcement purposefully did not have enough resources on hand so that supporters of the former president could overrun the Capitol and be labeled as "intruders."

The complaint alleges Wickersham knowingly entered a restricted building or grounds without authority to do so, knowingly, with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of government business or official functions, engaged in disorderly or disruptive conduct. He is also accused of knowingly and willingly using loud, threatening, or abusive language to disrupt a session of Congress.

More than 400 people have been arrested in connection with the Capitol riots, including more than 40 Pennsylvanians.

This photo of Wickersham appeared in the FBI complaint:

This photo also appeared in the FBI complaint, which said it was taken inside the Capitol:

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