iradiophilly | News - Ex-Chester Firefighter Threw Extinguisher At Capitol; US Attorney McSwain Resigns; Judge Allows Bail

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Ex-Chester Firefighter Threw Extinguisher At Capitol; US Attorney McSwain Resigns; Judge Allows Bail

by: iradioal - Philadelphia, PA
started: 01/14/21 3:55 pm | updated: 01/14/21 4:02 pm

A retired Chester firefighter has been arrested for throwing a fire extinguisher at police officers during the riot at the U.S. Capitol last Wednesday, 1/6, in Washington, D.C. 55-year-old Robert Sanford from Upper Chichester, Delaware County, is charged with four federal offenses including knowingly entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, civil disorder, and assaulting officers engaging in their official duties. The incident was caught on video. A friend of Sanford's recognized photos of him released by officials and contacted the FBI to identify him. Chester Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland said, "City officials are aware that a former Chester Firefighter allegedly attended and participated in the insurrection that took place in our nation's capital last week. While Robert Sanford adorned a hat with a Fire Department logo, he is not a current employee of the city of Chester. Mr. Sanford was a member of the Chester Fire Department from January 1994 until his retirement in February 2020."

Also, a man and his son from Delaware have been arrested for their actions inside the Capitol. Kevin Seefried of Laurel was seen in many photographs and videos carrying a Confederate flag through the halls of the building. His son, Hunter, was caught on video help break a window of the building that the pair then entered. They are charged with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and one count of depredation of government property.

BREAKING: @WSJ reports: A retired Pennsylvania firefighter was arrested today for allegedly throwing a fire extinguisher that hit 3 police officers at the pro-Trump riot at the U.S. Capitol as captured on videohttps://t.co/30WFdH2MVy

pic.twitter.com/rRuTyggQbf
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) January 14, 2021

U.S. Attorney William McSwain announced that he will be stepping down next week, shortly after President-elect Joe Biden takes office. McSwain will resign on January 22. He took his post in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on April 6, 2018. There are still a number of high profile cases launched by McSwain that are pending including Safehouse, John Dougherty, BLM protesters, and Kenyatta Johnson. He said that he "prioritized two areas in particular - violent crime and public corruption." McSwain was often at odds with Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner saying that he was soft on crime. McSwain will most likely remain in the Philadelphia area and return to private practive. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams will become Acting U.S. Attorney until Biden appoints a replacement.

"I want to thank President Trump for appointing me as U.S. Attorney, Senators Toomey and Casey for recommending me for the position, and Attorneys General Barr and Sessions for leading the Department of Justice during my service," McSwain said in a statement. "I will always be grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as U.S. Attorney in the District in which I have lived most of my life, in the City in which I was born, and in the Office where I learned to be a trial lawyer as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. My overriding focus as U.S. Attorney was on pursuing justice in order to protect the community. I gave this job all that I had â€“ all day, every day. While we've had many significant accomplishments during my tenure, the credit for these successes belongs to the hardworking, dedicated professionals at the U.S. Attorney's Office and our law enforcement partners. For an attorney, there is no greater professional privilege than to represent the United States of America. I will miss it dearly."

A Philadelphia judge denied the prosecution's request to revoke the bail of two Virginia men who were arrested near the Pennsylvania Convention Center during the vote counting process in November. 42-year-old Joshua Macias and 61-year-old Antonio Lamotta of Chesapeake, VA, were ordered to stand for trial at Thursday's, 1/14, preliminary hearing. They were arrested on Thursday night, November 5th. Each man was armed with a handgun, and there was an AR-15 style rife with ammunition in their Hummer that was parked on N. 13th Street. Police had received a tip about a silver Hummer coming from Virginia and heading to the vote counting headquarters. They were charged with Concealed Firearm Without a License, a third-degree felony, and Carrying a Firearm on Public Streets or Public Property, a first-degree misdemeanor. Bail was set at $750,000 for each. Today, the judge dropped gun charges against Macias because he has a license to carry in Virginia. The commonwealth requested that their bail be revoked because the two men had attended the rally in Washington, D.C. on 1/6. Macias' lawyer say his client did not enter the Capitol. LaMotta's lawyer did not say anything. The judge denied the motion, but told the two defendants to refrain from any activity like that.

SEE ALSO: Philly Police Thwart Plot Against Convention Center