WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Metro Atlanta brothers have been arrested and charged on felony and misdemeanor charges for their alleged actions during the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021 -- disrupting a joint session to certify the 2020 presidential election results.
Cepane Sarty, 38, of Marietta and Seth Sarty, 45, of Rockmart, were arrested on Monday by the FBI in Georgia, according to a release by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
The two men are charged in a criminal complaint with a felony offense of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers. They are also charged with misdemeanor offenses of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, engaging in an act of physical violence in the grounds or any capitol buildings as well as parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol building.
Court documents mention that the two are brothers, according to a release. The documents also said that the Sarty siblings were allegedly inside the building on Jan. 6, 2021. The release stated they entered through the Senate Wing Door at 2:21 p.m., which was less than 10 minutes after the initial breach in the area. By 2:32 p.m., the brothers and others are accused of having broken through a police line and gaining access to the House side of the building.
After 3 p.m., they allegedly were at the Rotunda and encountered officers from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police attempting to clear the area. When police tried to clear rioters from the area, they were accused of actively resisting and obstructing. A few minutes later, the brothers allegedly stood at the front of the crowd, resisting and assaulting officers.
According to a release, body-worn cameras and closed-circuit television (CCTV) show the men shoving officers and driving them back. Court documents also said that the two continued to fight with police for the next 19 seconds -- preventing them from clearing the Rotunda. Police would then deploy a chemical riot control agent toward the two, which caused the brothers to exit the Capitol at 3:13 p.m.
The case is being investigated by the FBI's Atlanta, Baltimore and Washington Field Offices with additional assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
So far, more than 1,313 people have been charged in almost all 50 states for crimes related to the U.S. Capitol breach, according to a release. This number includes more than 469 charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. It is an ongoing investigation.
