Capitol rioter who joined Army after insurrection arrested at Fort Bragg

An active-duty soldier has been arrested at Fort Bragg on charges that he participated in the Capitol insurrection.

Spc. James Phillip Mault, 29, of Brockport, New York, joined the Army in May, the Fayetteville Observer reports.

Mault is accused of spraying a chemical agent at police who were attempting to stop a mob of Capitol rioters from entering the building on Jan. 6, according to a newly unsealed criminal complaint.

Col. Joe Buccino, a Fort Bragg spokesman, confirmed that Mault was arrested at the base on Oct. 6.

According to the Fayetteville Observer, Buccino said "it was important to note that Mault joined the Army in May, several months after the incident."

"This thing he allegedly did happened before he was a soldier," Buccino said.

In addition to spraying police with a chemical agent, Mault is accused of ripping down a barricade that allowed rioters to access the Capitol grounds. Although his actions were captured in numerous videos, Mault denied assaulting anyone or damaging property when he was first interviewed by FBI agents on Jan. 18.

"Mault described being caught up in the crowd and the mass of people pushed him closer and closer to the Capitol Building. Mault claimed to have no choice but to move forward because of the press of people behind him," the complaint states.

An anonymous tipster identified Mault to the FBI, pointing out the decal on his hard hat from the Ironworkers Local 33 Rochester, New York. Mault, who became known to online investigators as #IronWorkerGuy, told FBI agents he "wore his hard hat from work because he was aware of ANTIFA attacking Trump supporters after events in Washington, D.C. and the helmet would provide some level of protection."

One video from the insurrection reportedly shows Mault cheering on his friend, Cody Mattice, after Mattice was pepper-sprayed by police.

"And you f*cking took it like a man! I f*cking love you dude!" Mault screams in the video.

Mault and Mattice, who was also arrested last week, allegedly traveled from New York to Washington with several other friends on a bus driven by Mault's father.

Mault and Mattice are charged with assaulting law enforcement, entering a restricted building with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct inside a restricted building with a dangerous weapon, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and an act of violence inside Capitol grounds, according to a Department of Justice news release.