Birdsboro man charge for his role in Capitol riot

The U.S. attorney’s office has charged a Birdsboro man for his role in allegedly helping other rioters move barricades and trying to push past law enforcement officers protecting the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

In a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Washington, D.C., Anthony Nolf, 37, is charged with civil disorder, a felony, as well as misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining on restricted grounds, and disorderly and disruptive conduct on restricted grounds.

Nolf was arrested Wednesday and had an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Also named in the complaint and arrested Wednesday was Heather Kepley, 36, of Millsboro, Del.

Kepley was charged with misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining on restricted grounds, and disorderly and disruptive conduct on restricted grounds.

According to the press release:

Nolf and Kepley entered the Capitol grounds and approached near the inaugural stage, where they helped other rioters move bicycle racks that were impeding the rioters’ approach.

After moving one of the racks, the pair made their way to the lower west terrace tunnel.

In the tunnel, Kepley and Nolf joined other rioters in trying to force their way past the law enforcement officers.

Specifically, while inside the tunnel, Nolf added the force of his body to the other rioters in a “heave-ho” effort, which put intense pressure on the police line.

Officers succeeded in repelling Nolf and Kepley and other rioters out of the tunnel.

Nolf and Kepley then stood outside the tunnel, watching officers clearing the protesters before walking away.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington field offices, with the assistance of U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

Since the Jan. 6 riot, more than 1,000 people have been arrested for crimes related to the Capitol breach, including more than 320 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, according to the release.

Those prosecuted include Alan Byerly, 55, of Fleetwood.

In October, Byerly was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to attacking police officers and a member of the news media during the assault on the Capitol.

Byerly pleaded guilty in July to one count of assaulting a law enforcement officer with a dangerous or deadly weapon and one count of striking, beating and wounding on federal property. He has been in federal custody since being charged in July 2021.

Those were two of the eight counts with which he was originally charged. The plea was part of a deal with prosecutors.

According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Washington:

Byerly was among a crowd of rioters who gathered near a line of bicycle racks set up by police to keep the crowd at bay.

Video shows Byerly just behind the bike racks holding what appears to be a stun gun, which he raises with his right hand and activates. Byerly charges at police, some of whom can be heard yelling, “Taser! Taser! Taser!” to warn their fellow officers.

Within seconds, the officers were able to knock the stun gun out of Byerly’s hands. But he kept charging, striking and pushing officers. At one point he tried to take a baton from an officer, knocking that officer to the ground in the process.

Officers were eventually able to restrain Byerly. However, he was able to escape with the help of a fellow rioter.

The attack on police officers was the second assault in which Byerly was involved that day.

Earlier that afternoon, Byerly was caught on footage posted by media outlets. It showed him joining the assault of an Associated Press photographer who was pulled down a flight of stairs, pushed to the ground and dragged toward a mob of protesters.