Florida man charged with assaulting law enforcement during Jan. 6 riot

Related video from November 2023: Floridians’ role in the January 6 Riots

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WFLA) — A Florida man was arrested on January 6 for allegedly assaulting law enforcement officers during the 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Jeremy Michael Miller, 45, is charged with assaulting, resisting or obstructing certain officers and obstructing law enforcement during civil disorder, the Justice Department said.

Miller was also charged with misdemeanor offenses such as entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, committing physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and committing an act of physical violence in the Capitol building. or justifications.

The FBI arrested Miller in Florida on Wednesday, and he made his first appearance in the Middle District of Florida.

In August 2021, the FBI identified Miller, then an “unknown male,” on body-worn camera footage attacking and pushing law enforcement officers during the riot. The FBI posted a “Beware” message online.

Miller was later identified using facial recognition software, which found a photo booked by a police officer in Florida named “Jeremiah Michael Flowers.” Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle records show Jeremiah Michael Flowers changed his name to Miller in 2016.

FBI agents attempted to contact Miller multiple times, including via phone and at Miller’s job at a tattoo shop in Fort Myers Beach, but Miller refused to talk to agents about the Jan. 6 riot.

Miller, who was allegedly seen on video wearing a black jacket, red hat, black ski mask and black goggles or goggles, was seen fighting police along metal bike rack barricades and claimed he grabbed a bike rack and tried to pull it away. from the police.

A minute later, there is video that allegedly shows Miller linking arms with other rioters and using their backs to break through barricades to break through police lines.

Miller was then seen throwing what appeared to be a stick at an officer on the other side of the barricade, according to court documents.

After the police line collapsed, Miller allegedly joined other rioters advancing toward the Capitol.

Documents say Miller went to the building’s Upper West Terrace around 4:20 p.m., where he and other rioters violently resisted police trying to control the crowd.

Miller allegedly pushed his body against the police shield and tried to cross the line again. He then allegedly tried to remove an officer’s riot shield, using both hands to hold the shield.

The Middle District of Florida set the following conditions for Miller’s release:

• While he is released, Miller cannot commit any crime that would violate federal, state or local law.
• Miller must cooperate with any authorized DNA sample collection
• If Miller changes his address or telephone number, he must notify the court, pretrial services office, defense attorney, and U.S. Attorney in writing.
• Miller must attend all court proceedings as required and surrender to serve any sentence

Miller is also prohibited from possessing a passport or firearm/dangerous weapon, cannot travel outside the Central District of Florida without notification, and cannot travel outside the United States.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Tampa and Washington Field Offices and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.

More than 1,532 people have been charged in the 45 months since the Jan. 6 riots, the Justice Department said.