TAMPA, Fla. — A Palm Harbor man was arrested for participating in the Jan. 6 riots. Investigators say he was caught on camera among the first group of rioters to enter the Capitol.
Michael Hennessey, 38, was often at the forefront of mobs traversing the building, according to the Department of Justice. He is facing felony and misdemeanor charges for his involvement when he spent almost an hour inside the Capitol and went into the House majority leader’s office multiple times.
Hennessey was among the first group to climb the stairs from West Plaza to the Capitol's Upper West Terrace, according to court records. He went into the Senate Wing door at 2:15 p.m., joining other protestors changing “Our House.”
In December 2021, the FBI received a tip identifying Hennessey in images taken inside the Capitol. Almost a year later, Hennessey told special agents how he entered the Capitol and identified himself in pictures taken inside and outside the building.
Hennessey said he went into a room with windows to the Upper West Terrace and took pictures of videos before going into the Crypt, documents read. Once he was there, he “positioned himself at the front of a crowd facing off against U.S. Capitol Police officer” court records stated.
The crowd overpowered the police and continued on where Hennessey again went in front of the mob as they were walking up and down a hallway. He ended up in House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s office and then was caught on camera filming inside the Rotunda, investigators said.
Again, he was at the forefront of a group going towards the Senate Chamber where an officer fell down a set of stairs, according to court documents.
When he exited the building, he remained on restricted grounds and positioned himself “directly in front” of police trying to protect the building, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.
Federal prosecutors are charging Hennessey with felony civil disorder and misdemeanor counts of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building or grounds and parading, picketing or demonstrating in a Capitol building.
He was arrested on Wednesday and was released on pretrial conditions of restricted travel to within the Tampa area and Washington D.C. for court-related events. He also can’t possess a firearm and had to submit to random testing for a prohibited substance if required by the pretrial services office.
He will make his first appearance in the Middle District of Florida.
There have been more than 1,385 people charged nationwide for crimes related to the Jan. 6 riots, according to the Department of Justice.