Iowa charged in Capitol riots repeatedly fought with police

Investigators say a combination of anonymous tips and cellphone data helped identify the latest Iowan to face charges in connection with the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, including for allegedly assaulting multiple police officers.

Federal prosecutors filed charges earlier this month against Earl Jordan of Dickens in northwestern Iowa and his brother Christopher Jordan of Utah. Both are charged with assaulting or obstructing officers, disturbing public order, entering restricted areas and disorderly conduct.

How were the Jordan brothers identified?

Earl Jordan is the ninth Iowan charged in connection with the Capitol riot, and his arrest is the first announced arrest of an Iowan in the past two years. As suspects were identified, federal prosecutors continued to bring charges in the nearly four years since the attack. Earlier this month, they charged more than 1,500 people.

According to a statement of facts initially sealed by the court, the FBI first identified Christopher Jordan based on a tip, then confirmed his identity by interviewing people who knew him and analyzing video footage of the attack.

Earl Jordan was separately identified as a suspect based on a search warrant submitted to Google seeking geolocation data from the Capitol grounds. Investigators located the device in the area using a Google email address associated with three phone numbers, one of which belonged to a person living at Jordan’s address. Combining this with the information that Jordan was present at the Capitol, the FBI reportedly conducted surveillance on him and confirmed that he was the person depicted in several videos and photos from the attack.

What did Earl Jordan allegedly do?

According to the FBI, the Jordans were together on the west front of the Capitol during the riot, during which a group of District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department officers tried to push through the crowd to reinforce the police line. Earl Jordan was captured on video elbowing one of the officers as he passed him, then “launched” him and “ran his hand across (the officer’s) face,” the FBI said.

Other officers tried to intervene, but Jordan allegedly lunged again, “grabbing (the officer) by the throat” and shoving him. Christopher Jordan also got involved in the fight, and video footage shows the two struggling with police and blocking their passage through the crowd. At one point, Christopher Jordan allegedly grabbed the officer’s baton and refused to let go. Investigators say they only broke up when another rioter pulled him away from officers.

Later, the brothers can be seen in the crowd fight with officers who tried to secure one of the doors of the Capitol. According to the FBI, as officers closed the door, Earl Jordan “picked up a piece of metal fencing and threw it” at the door.

The two allegedly remained on the Capitol grounds until the evening, when officers finally regained control of the scene.

Court records show that Earl Jordan was released on his own recognizance, and the brothers were scheduled to be arraigned in Washington on November 4. Earl Jordan’s attorney did not respond to a message seeking comment Friday.

What are other Iowa cases from January 6?

Jordan is the first Iowan to face charges in connection with the riots in more than two years. The remaining eight Iowan defendants have already been sentenced. However, the case of one of them, Leo Kelly of Cedar Rapids, who was sentenced to 30 months in prison, was sent back to court on appeal after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors had interpreted too broadly one of the statutes under which Kelly and other participants rioters were convicted.

Kelly is expect him to be offended in the coming months.

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Of the remaining seven, several received long sentences and remain in prison. Kyle Young of Redfieldwho pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer will spend in prison until 2029, and Salvador Sandoval from Ankenywhich also fought with several police officers will be closed by 2028. Third, Doug Jensen of Des Moineswho was convicted of leading a crowd to confront a police officer inside the building, was released to a nursing home earlier this year. Bureau of Prisons records show he is no longer in government custody as of earlier this month.

The remaining Iowa defendants – Deborah Sandoval, Daryl Johnson, Kenny Rader and Chad Heathcote – received shorter sentences and have already been released.

Former President Donald Trump said that if re-elected on November 5, it would be his priority on his first day in office will pardon people convicted of participating in the riotswhich aimed to prevent Congress from confirming the election of his 2020 opponent, President Joe Biden, and his current opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

William Morris serves the Des Moines Registry Courts. He can be contacted at [email protected] or 715-573-8166.