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Timothy Louis Hale-Cusanelli, 30, of Monmouth County, described as an “avowed white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer” in court papers, allegedly told other pro-Trump rioters to advance during the deadly Jan. 6 insurgence, authorities said.
He has been charged on five federal counts, including: knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority; disorderly conduct on Capitol Hill grounds; disrupting the orderly conduct of government business; parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building; and obstructing a law enforcement officer.
The U.S. Army reservist reportedly works at the Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck, where he has access to “a variety of munitions,” according to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service started investigating Hale-Cusanelli after receiving a tip from an informant who said the Central Jersey man bragged about breaking into the Capitol.
Hale-Cusanelli apparently showed an informant videos of himself making harassing and derogatory statements toward Capitol Police officers both inside and outside the Capitol building, according to a federal affidavit.
In a recorded conversation with the informant, Hale-Cusanelli admitted to encouraging other rioters to “advance — giving directions via both voice and hand signals,” court papers allege.
Hale-Cusanelli said that if they’d had more men "they could have taken over the entire building,” the affidavit says.
Hale-Cusanelli also admitted taking a flag and flagpole that he’d seen another rioter throw like a javelin at a Capitol Police officer. He admitted that he wanted to "destroy or dispose" the flag/flagpole as soon as possible since it was a weapon, according to the affidavit.
The informant described Hale-Cusanelli as a white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer known for “proffering extreme political opinions and viewpoints,” on a YouTube channel called the “Based Hermes Show” and on other online forums.
Some of the YouTube videos, which can be accessed by clicking here, are titled "Rudy & Eastern Lights: Can't Turn Back."
“Prior to traveling to the rally and protest on January 6, 2021, Hale-Cusanelli wrote ‘Trust the plan, it’s the final countdown, stay tuned next episode,’ and ‘Trust the plan, major announcement soon,'” the court papers say.
At least 22 current or former members of the US military or law enforcement have been identified as being at or near the Capitol riot, according to multiple news media reports.
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