EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — Authorities report two men, brothers from Stroudsburg, have been arrested on charges of assaulting law enforcement during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Andrew Valentin, 26, and Matthew Valentin, 31, both of Stroudsburg, are charged with felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers.
Andrew was arrested on February 11 in South Whitehall and Matthew was arrested on Feb. 12 in Wilkes-Barre.
According to court documents, the Valentin brothers are identified in open-source video walking from the Washington Monument along Constitution Avenue towards the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. Around 2:28 p.m., the crowd of rioters assembled on the West Plaza, including the Valentin brothers, rushed the police line, investigators stated.
Body-worn camera footage showed at one point, Matthew reached his hand through the bike rack barricade and grabbed a U.S. Capitol Police Officer, the press release said. Police say as members of the mob continued to advance on and assault police, Andrew took out a cellphone and appeared to have recorded the scene.
Both brothers approached the reformed police line, Matthew held a baton in one hand and a spray canister in the other stated authorities. Less than one minute later, Matthew sprayed what appeared to be a chemical irritant into the line of officers, according to the release.
The brothers then made their way to the Upper West Terrace and approached another line of police officers and Matthew grabbed an officer’s baton. Andrew Valentin is seen on body-worn camera footage throwing a chair at a line of police officers, court documents say that the chair struck the shield of a Montgomery County Police Officer.
The Valentin brothers are also charged with several misdemeanors, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and acts of physical violence in the Capitol buildings or grounds.
"Their actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election," stated the U.S. Department of Justice.
In the 37 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,313 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
