DOJ indicts ‘Arrested Development’ actor Jay Johnston for his involvement on January 6 : NPR

Jay Johnston, an actor who has appeared on shows such as Arrested Development and Bob’s Burgers was arrested in California on Wednesday and faces charges in connection with the Jan. 6 uprising on Capitol Hill.

According to court documents, Johnston, 54, allegedly helped pour water in the faces of rioters who had been pepper sprayed by law enforcement and were seen carrying a stolen police shield of the United States Capitol. The documents, which refer to video and photo footage, say Johnston participated with other rioters in trying to push law enforcement officials.

“Several members of the crowd came together to push against the police in a concerted movement. Johnston participated in this concerted movement and pushed with other rioters for several seconds,” the document said.

After the uprising, the FBI released photos of Johnston, along with many other rioters, on January 6, asking for help with identification. The documents indicate that in March 2021, an attorney contacted the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center and said he was representing Johnston. The FBI says it interviewed three associates of Johnston who all identified him in photographs released by the FBI.

An associate, according to the FBI, provided a text message in which Johnston admitted to being at the US Capitol on January 6. The text read: “The news presented it as an attack. It was a mess. I was massacred and tear gassed and I found that quite unpleasant.

Airline records also show Johnston booked a flight that left Los Angeles for Washington DC on January 4 and returned on January 7.

The actor faces charges of obstructing officers during a civil unrest, which is a felony. He also faces several misdemeanor charges, including unlawful entry into buildings or restricted grounds. He is among more than 1,000 people prosecutors have charged in connection with the deadly insurgency that took place more than two years ago.