Maryland elections board member resigns after being charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot

BALTIMORE -- A Maryland elections official resigned Thursday after being arrested Tuesday on charges that he breached the U.S. Capitol in a riot on January 6, 2021. 

Carlos Ayala, a Republican member of the Maryland State Board of Elections, was arrested on multiple charges on Tuesday, according to federal court records. 

The 52-year-old from Salisbury was appointed to the board last year by Gov. Wes Moore. The five-person board must represent both main political parties — three of the majority and two of the minority party.

Ayala faces a felony charge of civil disorder and related misdemeanors. Prosecutors allege he forced his way into the Capitol alongside rioters and assaulted a U.S. Capitol Police Officer. 

According to court documents, Ayala was seen on footage climbing over police barricades and reaching the front of the crowd gathered outside the Senate Wing door of the Capitol. 

He was wearing a hoodie cinched tightly around his head, a painter's mask with large filters on each cheek, and carried a black and white flag with a rifle on it that was fixed to a PVC pipe flagpole, according to court documents. The flag allegedly bore the words "We the People" and "DEFEND." 

Prosecutors allege he matches the description of a man seen jabbing a flagpole at a U.S. Capitol Police officer, and later throwing the PVC pipe flagpole through the Senate Wing Door, striking an officer. 

Ayala was also allegedly seen on police body camera footage urging the officers to "join us!"

Maryland State Board of Elections Chair Michael Summers, a Democrat, said in a statement he accepted Ayala's immediate resignation on Thursday. 

"The Board is committed to maintaining the security and integrity of our elections in Maryland in a non-partisan manner," Summers said. "The State Board will remain steadfast in our mission to oversee our elections process and serve as a trusted source of information for all Marylanders during this presidential election year."

Ayala was conducting business for the elections board as late as last week. He's a member of the Perdue family and spoke about those ties in a company video that has since been deleted from social media. His mother married Frank Perdue in the 1980s.

Perdue Farms did not respond to a request for comment. 

More than 1,200 people have been charged surrounding January 6th. A former federal prosecutor told CBS News the government has a good track record in court. 

"This is not only the largest DOJ criminal investigation ever. It's probably the most successful too," Scott Fredericksen said. "They have pretty much a perfect record so far in all of their prosecutions."

Ayala's attorney has not issued a statement. 

Ayala lives in Salisbury. He was arrested earlier this week and was released on his own recognizance after a court hearing and is expected to be back before a judge on Feb. 8. 

In:
• Riot
• United States Capitol
• January 6