Hoffman Estates man charged with entering Capitol Building, impeding officer at Jan. 6 riot
CHICAGO (CBS) – A Hoffman Estates man is facing felony and misdemeanor charges for entering the Capital Building during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot and grabbing hold of a police officer's baton.
Tyng Jing Yang, 60, was charged with interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, a felony, and four related misdemeanor offenses, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Wednesday.
Prosecutors said Yang was among the rioters who were illegally on the ground of the Capitol, entered the Capitol Building through the Upper West Terrace Doors, and made his way up a flight of stairs and into a lobby area outside of the Rotunda. He then entered the Rotunda and posed for photos. The Department of Justice said Yang was seen wearing a bright green surgical mask, a red Trump hat, dark khaki pants, and dark coat.
When police officers tried to clear the crowd, Yang forcibly interfered by grabbing hold of an officer's baton. The officer had been using the baton to push back against others in the mob, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors released photos of Yang during the riot both inside and outside of the capitol building. He was dressed in a dark jacket, beige pants and had a red hat reading "Trump 2020" on it. The images were captured on multiple social media channels, police body cameras and security cameras.
In one image captured on closed circuit television, prosecutors said Yang can be seen grabbing a hold of a police officer's baton. He is circled in red in the image.
Along with the selfies and catalogue of pictures he was captured in, it was also Yang's cellphone, email address. and hotel booking information that ultimately led investigators to Yang.
CBS 2's Charlie De Mar stopped by Yang's Hoffman estates home Wednesday night. Nobody came to the door.
Yang appeared in front of a judge and was released on a $10,000 bond, This case now moves to a federal court in Washington, D.C. where the charges were filed.
Yang is the latest of more than two dozen people from Illinois who have been charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, according to Justice Department data.
The DOJ said in the 22 months since the riot, nearly 900 people have been arrested in almost all 50 states for crimes related.