(TJNNEWS.COM) Jacob Fracker, an infantryman with the Virginia National Guard who previously served as a Marine, and Thomas Robertson, an Army veteran, were arrested in Virginia on Wednesday, Military.com reported.
Robertson, who was interviewed by Virginia’s ABC13 claims that him and Fracker were escorted into the capitol by police.
An official confirmed Fracker’s military status on Thursday. The Virginia National Guard said Fracker is a corporal in the State’s Guard and serves as an infantryman
Military.com reported :
Fracker and Robertson are both members of the Rocky Mount Police Department, about 25 miles outside Roanoke. They’ve been placed on administrative leave, according to their department, after each was charged with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
The Virginia National Guard will conduct an investigation into the matter, and we will be able to release more information when that is complete,’ it said in a statement.
Fracker was not on duty with other members of the Virginia National Guard helping protect President-elect Joe Biden’s January 20 inauguration, the Guard added.
Robertson said he does not support the violence that happened inside the Capitol. ‘Absolutely not,’ he said. ‘For it to go like that is absolutely ridiculous.’
Robertson said he and Fracker went into the building at about 2 p.m. or 3 p.m.
‘We were escorted in by the Capitol Police, shown around and told, “As long as you stay here, you´re fine.”‘ They stayed in cordoned areas, he said.
Military.com also reported:
In a screenshot of a now-deleted Facebook post made by Fracker, included in the DOJ’s statement, the corporal wrote that he can protest for what he believes in, adding, “After all, I fought for your right to do it.”
Fracker, according to the DOJ, also wrote, “Lol to anyone who’s possibly concerned about the picture of me going around… Sorry I hate freedom?…Not like I did anything illegal.”
Robertson, the DOJ’s documents show, is quoted as saying, “CNN and the Left are just mad because we actually attacked the government who is the problem and not some random small business … The right IN ONE DAY took the f***** U.S. Capitol. Keep poking us.”
