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Putnam County residents Greg Richard Purdy, Jr., a Carmel High School graduate, and Matthew Purdy, both of Kent, were arrested earlier this month following an investigation into social media posts made by the latter, bringing the total arrested for their roles in the arrested coup from the region up to 12.
The two men now face a host of federal charges that include civil disorder, obstruction, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding police.
Other charges include:
- Entering and remaining in a restricted building and grounds;
- Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds;
- Disorderly conduct in a Capitol building;
- Demonstrating in a Capitol building.
According to court documents, the two traveled from the area to the Capitol on a chartered bus on the day of the attempted coup, at which point they allegedly helped lead a charge against police who sought to keep the rioters away from the building.
The pair’s role in the incident was uncovered due to social media posts made by the Purdys.
“Today my group and I were key players in conducting peaceful pushes,” Purdy wrote online. “The game plan was to talk (to) the officers and tell them to STOP FOLLOWING ORDERS AND UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION…
“When they didn’t listen we pushed through (without hurting them of course) we did these peaceful pushes all the way into the capital (sic) building.”
In a separate post, Purdy wrote, “Peep my war cry at the end as we push through this riot team after they didn’t listen to us.
“This was after the last videos after we successfully got through their first force!!! Look at the (expletive) blood on the ground.”
Federal officials said that investigators were able to track down multiple videos posted by Purdy inside and outside the Capitol building on Jan. 6, and were able to track a conversation between him and another rioter on their way back to New York.
According to the FBI, Purdy wrote in a text that “we're getting everybody pumped up… six, five, four, three, two…,” he said. “When you hit one, I turned around and bum rushed them. I knew you were bum rushing them too.
“Like if your government does not follow the law and undermines democracy…wouldn’t force be kind of necessary?
“Given those circumstances, it’s our job to uphold the Constitution and do a (expletive) rebellion,” Purdy continued, while another rioter he was conversing with stated that “I called for a revolution, yes. A revolution.”
According to Purdy’s LinkedIn profile, he ran for the New York State Assembly’s District 95 seat in 2016 as a Republican, and currently owns an online marketing company in the New York City area.
The men were released on an unsecured bond after surrendering their passports. Neither is permitted to possess firearms and have been ordered to attend any drug or mental health counseling required by pretrial services.
Both are scheduled to return to court on Wednesday, Dec. 8.
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