NC Proud Boys member arrested for alleged role in Jan. 6 Capitol breach, Justice Department says

FBI agents arrested a North Carolina man in Charlotte on Tuesday on felony and misdemeanor charges for his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

Jay Robert Thaxton, 49, of Concord, is charged with a misdemeanor count of obstructing law enforcement during a civil disturbance. He is also charged with four misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in any restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in any restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in any Capitol building or grounds and l obstruction or prevention of passage through a building or grounds of the Capitol. .

The U.S. Department of Justice said Thaxton's initial court appearance was expected Tuesday in the Western District of North Carolina.

Citing court documents, the Justice Department said Thaxton was a member of the far-right militia known as the Proud Boys. According to the Department of Justice, Thaxton and other members of the group gathered on January 6, 2021, to march along the National Mall and around the United States Capitol. Thaxton and other members marched around the Capitol before the breach, the Justice Department said.

The Justice Department says court documents indicate the group arrived on the afternoon of January 6, 2021, near the Peace Memorial, as rioters were breaking through the outer fence of the Capitol grounds and advancing toward the Lower West Plaza.

According to the Justice Department, footage shows Thaxton walking toward the front lines of rioters advancing toward Lower West Plaza.

At Lower West Plaza, court documents say Thaxton joined rioters' attempts to break through a police line by grabbing, pushing and pulling on police bike racks set up as temporary barricades. It appears that through these and other efforts, the rioters finally broke through the police line at Lower West Plaza.

Authorities previously arrested Thaxton on January 6, 2021, for violating a curfew.