WASHINGTON — A couple from Vero Beach faces multiple charges related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday that Andrew Joshua Johnson, 39, and Whitney Johnson, 44, both of Vero Beach are charged in a criminal complaint filed in Washington, D.C., with multiple felony and misdemeanor offenses.
The FBI arrested the Johnsons, who are a married couple, on Thursday in Vero Beach.
Andrew Joshua Johnson is charged with a felony offense of civil disorder. In addition to the felony, he is charged with several misdemeanor offenses, including entering or remaining in restricted buildings or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, entering and remaining in certain rooms in the Capitol building, disorderly or disruptive conduct in the Capitol building or grounds, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building or grounds.
Whitney Johnson is charged with felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers. In addition to the felonies, prosecutors said she is charged with multiple misdemeanor offenses, including entering or remaining in restricted buildings or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in the Capitol building or grounds, act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building or grounds.
The FBI arrested the Johnsons on Thursday in Vero Beach.
Prosecutors said the Johnsons attended the "Stop the Steal" rally on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., and afterward marched from the rally to the U.S. Capitol building.
The DOJ said surveillance footage from the U.S. Capitol showed Andrew Johnson entering the building via the Rotunda doors at approximately 2:45 p.m. They said the Vero Beach man then proceeded to walk through the building and was seen again on surveillance footage confronting a U.S. Capitol Police Officer on the Gallery Stairs.
Andrew later regrouped with his wife, Whitney, and the couple then made their way into the Rotunda and separated.
According to court documents, Whitney Johnson was against the outer wall of the Rotunda while her husband was in the thick of the crowd, shaking his fist and yelling at police.
At about 3:08 p.m., when an altercation broke out between another rioter and an officer in front of him, prosecutors said Andrew Johnson was seen and heard on video yelling "What the f—?" and "Oathbreaker!" repeatedly at police and aggressively positioning himself in front of and close to an officer's face.
As police officers attempted to clear the rioters from the Rotunda, prosecutors said the Vero Beach man physically pushed back against the officers and is seen on body-worn camera footage physically resisting and yelling obscenities at police as the officers attempted to push him out of the area.
Meanwhile, at about 3:12 p.m., a Metropolitan Police Department Officer was trying to clear rioters from the outer wall of the Rotunda when the officer encountered Whitney Johnson behind a statute. In response to the officer's effort to clear her from that area, the DOJ said Whitney Johnson yelled expletives at the officer and hit the officer with an open hand.
They said surveillance footage showed Whitney Johnson exiting the Capitol via the Rotunda Doors at approximately 3:17 p.m. Meanwhile, her husband is accused of physically struggling with police as they eventually escorted him out of the Rotunda at 3:20 p.m. The DOJ said that Johnson continued to yell obscenities at police while he was forced out of the Rotunda. He left the Capitol building shortly thereafter at roughly 3:22 p.m.
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, including more than 469 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov
