SUFFOLK, Va. (AP) — A California man seen wearing American flag pants and allegedly smoking marijuana during the U.S. Capitol riot has been arrested in Virginia, authorities said.
Eduardo Nicolas Alvear Gonzalez, of Ventura, California, is scheduled for a remote hearing Friday in U.S. District Court in Norfolk. He was arrested Tuesday and charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, reported NewsNation affiliate WAVY.
Gonzalez, who is identified in court documents as the man with the joints in multiple videos, was arrested by the FBI at an apartment in Virginia Beach, authorities said.
According to a criminal complaint, Gonzalez is seen on camera lighting a joint and yelling, “It’s time to smoke weed in here” while inside the Capitol’s rotunda during the insurrection on Jan. 6.
In another video titled “The Capitol Rotunda Doobie Smoker explains why he did it,” Gonzalez was asked why he was smoking weed in the Capitol, to which he responded in part, “freedom,” the complaint said.
Gonzalez later live streamed a Zoom video where he discussed going to the Capitol to “take our country back,” the complaint said.
Multiple witnesses have identified Gonzalez, including a family member, the FBI said. It’s unclear why Gonzalez was in Virginia Beach.
The 32-year-old was being held at Western Tidewater Regional Jail in Suffolk. It’s unclear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
