The Jan. 6 defendant accused of opening fire on cops after he was charged is seen inside the U.S. Capitol building on newly released screenshots from CCTV footage, the Department of Justice said Friday.
The footage is backed up by texts, screenshots and geolocation information from the defendant’s cell phone showing Nathan Donald Pelham inside the building during the insurrection. He was arrested on April 14, according to the DOJ.
Pelham is facing four misdemeanor charges for his involvement in the riot: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, according to the criminal complaint filed on April 11, 2023.
Pelham was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with an April 12, 2023 incident in which he is accused of opening fire on local deputies conducting a wellness check on him hours after he was told was charged with participating the Capitol riot, Raw story reported.
By using Google records associated with the Gmail address on Pelham’s mobile device, his geolocation was determined to be on the north end of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021. The device was geolocated in or around the building on 37 separate occasions between 2:31 p.m. to 4:07 p.m. that day, which corresponds with the time when a mob of supporters of former President Donald Trump breached the Capitol.
On March 17, 2021, Pelham attempted to leave the country to enter Canada, where he was denied entry, and his phone was examined by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, showing photos and videos of him near a Capitol building door and wearing a hat associated with the alt-right extremist group, Proud Boys. In speaking with two FBI task force officers, Pelham said he was within two feet of the Capitol building but never went inside.
A warrant was obtained for Pelham’s cell phone on April 19, 2021, and the report notes a text exchange between Pelham and his wife on January 7, 2021, relevant to the D.C. trip:
Wife: “It’s a good thing you kept your mask on”
Wife: “If you have a video of being inside, don’t post it”
Pelham: “I know I am smart honey”
The report includes another text from someone identified as “Rukus" to Pelham on January 15, 2021, where "Rukus" says, “This guy actually wasn’t so bad if I’m being honest. It was the first fool that almost got himself killed that I really didn’t like, but this guy here just chimed in when he heard me scream at the first guy. He didn’t know what I was yelling at him for, and tensions were high already. I shook his hand in the capitol as we passed each other. The other little tool got no respect from me, and never will.”
The report includes a screenshot from a video on Pelham’s phone identifying him wearing a black hat with a small gold crest, a navy gaiter with white stars and stripes, goggles and a black hoodie. On October 8, 2021, the FBI special agent who wrote the report reviewed U.S. Capitol Police CCTV footage and identified Pelham based on the clothing he was wearing in the video on his phone.
On October 21, 2021, the FBI special agent interviewed Pelham at his home, where he confirmed that he was the person in the screenshot wearing the black hat, hoodie, googles and gaiter. When asked why he did not tell the agents previously that he went inside the Capitol, Pelham said he did not think about it, “honest to God,” that he was at the border and that he got “hemmed up,” according to the report.
Pelham then said he thought he was in the Capitol for 10 to 11 seconds, and he observed someone trying to break a window before he went inside. However, the FBI agent producing the report said they determined that Pelham entered the Senate Wing Door and was inside the Capitol Building for approximately 7 minutes and 21 seconds.
