A New Hyde Park man has been arrested and charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol, which left five dead, including a police officer.
Eric Gerwatowski, 31, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with civil disorder, among other charges, related to disrupting a joint session of Congress that was counting electoral votes to determine the presidential election.
According to the criminal complaint filed in Washington, D.C., Gerwatowski pulled open a door that Capitol Police had just closed and let in the crowd of rioters. He allegedly yelled “Let’s go!” and directed others into the building before entering himself. Police officers had just gotten the doors closed after a struggle to prevent more rioters from entering the building.
FBI investigators gathered evidence for the federal complaint from several FBI tips identifying Gerwatowski in a YouTube video of the storming of the Capitol building and on social media with posts of Gerwatowski hashtagged #lordlonghair.
“The tipsters also informed investigating agents that Gerwatowski admitted to several associates that he entered the Capitol on January 6, 2021,” the complaint reads. “Further, they identified Gerwatowski in several photos and a YouTube video posted by ‘Benjamin Reports’ entitled ‘Trump Supporters, Capitol building in DC, woman shot and killed.’ In this video, both tipsters identified Gerwatowski at multiple points in the video.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The law firm of Bruce Barket on Long Island is representing Gerwatowski, who was arrested Tuesday morning at his home in New Hyde Park and arraigned later that day at federal court in Central Islip before Magistrate Judge Arlene.
More than 725 individuals from nearly all 50 states have been arrested to date in the year since the Jan. 6 insurrection, including several others from Long Island.
Related Story: These 5 Long Islanders Were Arrested for Their Alleged Roles in Capitol Riots a Year Ago
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