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Feds arrest Queens man for alleged force against Capitol cops on Jan. 6
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Mar 9, 2022
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U.S. Department of Justice
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Mar 9, 2022
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A Queens man who allegedly pushed a U.S. Capitol officer over a ledge during the Jan. 6 riots was arrested by the FBI on Wednesday.
Ralph Joseph Celetano III, 54, of Broad Channel, faces half a dozen charges, including disorderly conduct and assault of an officer, after allegedly getting into “several physical altercations” with uniformed police outside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., authorities said.
In one instance, an officer told federal investigators that he was standing on a ledge when he was “blind-sided” by Celetano’s “football-type tackle,” causing him to fall into a scrum of officers in the terrace below. The officer said he feared for his safety, and later found bumps and bruises on his body.
The FBI said that Celetano was "found in a photograph publicly posted to a social media account.” His identity was confirmed by a witness who had known Celetano for 13 years, as well as a volunteer with a Broad Channel sea turtle association who attended a fundraiser with him, the FBI said.
Celetano, who wore a Trump hat and carried a “distinct folding chair strapped to his back,” was also seen on body-worn camera footage battling with other officers, according to the charging documents.
The FBI also said that EZ Pass toll records showed he and a friend left Broad Channel on the morning of the riots and returned home in the evening the next day.
In the days after the insurrection, a group of online sleuths identified Celetano as “#ChairGuy,” posting photos and videos of his alleged role in the riot.
The suspect was captured from multiple angles during the riots on Jan. 6.
U.S. Department of Justice
Attorney information for Celetano was not immediately available. He was expected to be arraigned on Wednesday afternoon, the DOJ said.
The FBI has arrested more than 775 people involved in the Jan. 6th riots, including more than 70 residents of New York and New Jersey.
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Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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