Arizona man arrested for alleged role in January 6 riot: DOJ
GLENDALE, Ariz. - Justice Department officials announced on July 31 that an Arizona man has been arrested in connection with the deadly January 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol.
Per a statement, 43-year-old Jason Robert Tasker of Glendale was arrested in Arizona on July 30.
"[Tasker] is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder," read a portion of the statement. "In addition to the felonies, Tasker is charged with four misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building."
Tasker accused of lunging at officers
Jason Robert Tasker (Courtesy; U.S. Department of Justice)
Justice officials gave a rather detailed review of what Tasker allegedly did during the Capitol Riot.
Per the statement, Tasker attended a "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington, D.C. before making his way towards the Capitol building's west side. Investigators allege he later followed officers around the Capitol and yelled at them.
Eventually, investigators allege that Tasker lunged at some of the officers at the scene. He reportedly remained in the Capitol building until around 3:13 p.m., local time.
"After Tasker left the building, it is alleged that he remained on the Capitol stairs and made a phone call," a portion of the statement reads. "Tasker can be overheard in a third-party video saying, ‘I was like the first person in, Momma.’ Tasker allegedly remained outside the Rotunda doors for over an hour and continued to confront police.
Other people with Arizona ties accused in Jan. 6 incident
Tasker is not the only person with ties to Arizona who authorities say played a role in the Capitol Riot.
In the aftermath of the deadly riot, we reported that Klete Keller, a 2000 graduate of Arcadia High School in Phoenix who went on to compete in three Olympics as a swimmer, was accused of committing multiple offenses in connection with the deadly riot. By the time the riots happened,
Per relevant Associated Press reports, Keller pleaded guilty in September 2021 to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding, and agreed to cooperate with authorities as part of a plea deal. In December 2023, Keller was sentenced to three years of probation, which includes six months of home detention. In addition, Keller was ordered to perform 360 hours of community service, at a rate of 10 hours per month that he is under court supervision.
In January 2024, we reported that a brother and sister from the Tucson area, identified as Felicia Konold and Cory Konold, were sentenced to 45 days and 30 days in prison, respectively, and two years of supervised release in connection with their role during the riot.
Another person with Arizona ties who was arrested in connection with the riot is Jacob Chansley, who is also known as the so-called ‘QAnon Shaman.’ Chansley, who was 33 when he was arrested in January 2021, was charged with civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, disorderly conduct in a restricted building, and demonstrating in a Capitol building.
Chansley later pleaded guilty to a felony charge, and was sentenced to 41 months in prison in late 2021. By March 2023, Chansley was released to a halfway house. While the AP reported in November 2023 that Chansley had filed a candidate statement of interest for Arizona's 8th Congressional District as a Libertarian, Chansley's name ultimately did not appear on the primary ballot for the July 30, 2024 primary.