Two more Houston-area residents have been accused of participating in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, bringing the total number of locals arrested to six.
Authorities say Christian Cortez and Benjamin Larocca, both of Seabrook, drove a rental car to Washington, D.C. to attend the march, and entered the Capitol building during the attack. The two men were identified using footage recorded throughout the day, according to court documents.
In one video, Cortez appears on Capitol grounds near a line of officers, alongside other pro-Trump extremists.
Christian Cortez and Benjamin Larocca allegedly entered the Capitol building during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.
“Oath breakers! Oath breakers!,” he yells toward a line of officers, according to court documents.
As the video continues, court documents say Cortez could be seen continuing to yell at the officers while moving closer to the line. Cortez then appears to be sprayed with pepper spray by one of the officers, according to a sworn affidavit.
The FBI said another video was found on Benjamin Larocca’s Instagram that appears to be shot from inside the Capitol building, with a caption on the screen reading, “We got in.” An individual who appears to be Cortez can be seen in the video, before the camera flips to show Larocca himself, according to court documents.
“Our house!,” he repeatedly chanted, according to court documents.
In an interview with authorities, Larocca said that he and Cortez were “chilling” in the “tour area” of the Capitol building, and acknowledged that neither he or Cortez had signed up for a tour, according to the affidavit.
Authorities say both Cortez and Larocca were arrested at a residence in Seabrook Friday.
Cortez is charged with assaulting a federal officer, civil disorder, obstructing an official proceeding, unlawfully entering a restricted building to disrupt government, and disorderly conduct on restricted grounds. Larocca is charged with obstructing an official proceeding, unlawfully entering a restricted building to disrupt government, and disorderly conduct on restricted grounds.
The two men join four other Houston-area residents who’ve since been arrested, including: former HPD officer Tam Dinh Pham, Joshua Lollar, Wilmar Alvarado, and Shane Jenkins.
