BLOOMINGTON — A 28-year-old man who allegedly participated in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol has been charged.
Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Indianapolis office arrested Antony Vo, of Bloomington, on Wednesday.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia charged Vo on Thursday with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without willful lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a capitol building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol building.
The U.S. Capitol attacked occurred following a rally in support of former President Donald Trump as Congress met in a joint session to certify the Electoral College vote in the 2020 presidential election.
The FBI received tips from one person who knew Vo as a student at Indiana University and another who attended high school with him. They told investigators Vo posted several images and videos on his Facebook and Instagram accounts showing him in Washington, D.C. and inside the U.S. Capitol building, according to court documents.
Both witnesses said Vo was known to "engage with conspiracy theories" and that he was a supporter of Trump who subscribed to "libertarian ideologies."
A Facebook photo shared by one of the witnesses shows Vo with a woman believed to be his mother inside the Capitol after it was breached by rioters. The woman was also with Vo in photos posted to his Instagram account, court documents said.
Investigators received a search warrant for Vo's social media accounts and found conversations he had with people saying he was at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Court documents said Vo sent photos of himself and his mother in and near the Capitol to other people.
In one conversation, Vo wrote, "My mom and I helped stop the vote count for a bit." In another, he wrote, "President (Trump) asked me to be here tomorrow so I am with my mom LOL." In other conversations, Vo said the results of the 2020 presidential election were fraudulent.
According to court documents, Vo also told someone in another conversation that police allowed him and other rioters into the building:
Vo: "they [the police] pretty much opened up for us"
Vo’s friend: "The police opened the gate?! I didn’t hear that anywhere!"
Vo: "yeah they stood down and retreated after we clearly outnumbered them"
FBI investigators obtained phone records that showed Vo was in the interior of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, court documents said.
Vo is among seven Hoosiers facing charges for the Capitol attack.
