Joseph Lino “Jose” PadillaJoseph Padilla of Cleveland, Tennessee, pleaded not guilty in federal court Tuesday to 12 charges related to his actions during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 in Washington, D.C.
Padilla, 40, is accused of assaulting a police officer and throwing a flagpole during the storming of the Capitol, an unsuccessful mob effort to block certification of the election of President Joe Biden.
Padilla originally faced six charges and was arrested by the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 23 after people recognized him in videos and tipped off the FBI. Just over two weeks later, a federal grand jury indicted him on 12 charges.
On Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty to those charges.
Prosecutors have argued Padilla should not be granted pre-trial release because he “poses a clear danger to our republic.” They point to his actions – documented in videos – and his own social media statements made on Jan. 6 and the days that followed to support their argument.