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Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, 31, of Monmouth County -- know for his Hitler mustache -- was in federal custody in Washington, D.C. awaiting trial, according to court documents released by the US Department of Justice.
Hale-Cusanelli was among the first Capitol rioters apprehended back in Jan, as media outlets reported at the time. He was a contracted security officer at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck, and a member of an Army Reserve unit at Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst, at the time of his arrest on Jan. 17.
He was banned from the navy base within days of the arrest, as media outlets reported at the time.
Hale-Cusanelli was demoted to private from sergeant in May, only to be discharged in June, as his service record shows, as was obtained by the Washington Post and reported on Wednesday.
He was never deployed and his last assignment was as a human resources specialist with the 174th Infantry Brigade, during his service from May 2009 to June 2021, US Army confirmed on Wednesday in a statement to media.
“The Army Reserve remains committed to holding personnel accountable for conduct that does not align with the Army Values, and to ensuring all personnel are treated with dignity and respect. Extremist ideologies and activities directly oppose our values and beliefs and those who subscribe to extremism have no place in our ranks,” a spokesperson for the Army Reserve said in a statement.
“This was a knee-jerk reaction to the charges,” Jonathan Crisp, Hale-Cusanelli’s attorney, told the Post. Five other military members have been charged, the outlet noted
Nearly one in five of all Capitol rioters served in the US Military, as NPR reported in Jan.
None of the other members have been discharged and it is unclear if they have been demoted and the military is not offering further comment on the matter.
Hale-Cusanelli was an anti-semitic podcaster and YouTuber prior to this incident, as reported by The Guardian.
It is alleged while he was inside of the US Capitol building he encouraged other rioters to advance on police by using hand signals, according to court documents released by the USDOJ.
Prosecutors have successfully argued two times to keep him jailed until the trial, citing that he lived in Earle prior to his arrest which is near a predominant Hasidic Jewish community in Lakewood, as multiple media outlets reported at the time.
He has been charged with the following according to his indictment by the USDOJ:
- Obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder
- Obstruction of an official proceeding
- Entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds
- Disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds
- Impeding ingress or egress in a restricted building or grounds
- Disorderly conduct in a Capitol building
- Parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building
He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, as outlets previously reported.
His next court appearance is a pretrial conference, which has been scheduled for Oct. 29, according to court documents.
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