Norwalk man arrested on federal charges related to Jan. 6 Capitol breach

A Norwalk man has been arrested on multiple federal charges connected to the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the United States Capitol building. 

Michael Haltom, 43, has been charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offense of civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding, according the United States Department of Justice. 

Additionally, Haltom has been charged with misdemeanor charges of destruction of government property, knowingly entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a restricted building or grounds, knowingly engaging in any act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. 

He was allegedly on hand the day that the massive mob rushed the building, many of which, Haltom included, gained entry and disrupted an ongoing joint session of the US Congress, which had convened to certify the Electoral College vote related to the 2020 presidential election. 

He is expected to make his first court appearance in LA County federal court on Wednesday. 

Court documents allege that Haltom was identified on the Capitol grounds among a crowd of rioters near the Peace Circle Monument, which is located on the northwest corner of the grounds. He is allegedly seen on video footage moving along Pennsylvania Walkway towards the building. 

Video shows as he continues to near the building in the West Plaza area, where scaffolding was being constructed ahead of President Biden's inauguration before getting stopped by a police line preventing the crowd from getting to the building. 

Documents allege that Haltom can be seen waving other members of the crowd forward to push back on bike rack barricades that officers were using to hold their line. He can also allegedly be seen pushing on the barricades repeatedly as officers try to hold off the crowd. 

Despite officers deploying pepper spray in an attempt to disperse the large crowd, Haltom allegedly remained, using his hands to push the barricades. 

Haltom is then said to have allegedly moved north from the West Plaza, instead heading towards the scaffolding erected over the Capitol building's northwest staircase, joining the crowd that rushed the entryway and got onto the stairs. 

The DOJ claims that Haltom is seen waving other rioters forward, and just before 2:10 p.m., after getting past the police lines, managing to get into the Upper West Terrace, which provides access to the west side of the Capitol building. Eventually he was able to make his way, along with dozens of other rioters, into the building through the Senate Wing doorway. They say he was among the first to reach the area. 

The court documents say that rioters used a police shield and lumber taken from the scaffolding to smash open the Senate Wing door. The group then climbed through windows and kicked the door open to allow access to others. They claim that Haltom climbed through the broken window at 2:13 p.m., just less than a minute after the first rioter breached the Capitol building. 

The DOJ says that after he made his way inside, Haltom advanced towards the Senate side of the building, where he and other rioters successfully reached a staircase where they confronted a US Capitol Police Officer who attempted to block them from continuing on. 

The group yelled and moved towards the officer, who eventually retreated up the stairs behind him. Documents allege that Haltom was the second person from the front of the crowd that pursued the officers up the stairs. 

Eventually Haltom made his way into the Crypt, the House of Representatives side of the building, and the hallway outside of the Speaker of the House's Lobby, documents allege. 

Prosecutors claim that there, he attempted to kick open a large wooden door leading into the Speaker's Lobby and House Chamber. 

He was directed out of the building by law enforcement at 2:56 p.m. the documents state. 

Haltom is one of more than 1,265 people who have been charged for crimes related to the breach of the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. More than 440 of them have been charged with crimes relating to assaulting or impeding law enforcement, which is a felony. 

The investigation remains ongoing.