The FBI said Tuesday that it had arrested Wasilla resident Aaron James Mileur after people in his Facebook circle told authorities he had posted videos and photos from inside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 siege — some that included himself.
A statement from an FBI agent said there’s probable cause to support federal charges that Mileur entered the Capitol with an intent to disrupt Congressional business. And it said Mileur posted one of the videos to both his own Facebook page and in a group called “Save Anchorage,” which has criticized health mandates imposed by the city government in response to the pandemic.
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Mileur is a 41-year-old construction worker who lives and works in Wasilla, the attorney representing him said at an initial hearing Tuesday in federal court in Anchorage.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Smith ordered his release from custody on condition that he wear a location-monitoring device.
At the time of the attack, Congress was meeting to certify the vote of the electoral college, the final step cementing Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election, beating Republican incumbent Donald Trump.
Before Jan. 6 was over, someone called an FBI hotline to report that Mileur had been in the Capitol, the document says. The tipster was a friend of one of Mileur’s Facebook friends, according to the document.
The document also says that a second tipster contacted authorities to report that Mileur, or someone who controlled his Facebook account, posted a video of the inside of the Capitol during the siege.
Mileur is charged with two misdemeanors. One is punishable by up to a year in prison, and the maximum penalty for the other is six months.
Mileur’s Facebook page no longer includes any photos or videos shared Jan. 6. But his profile picture is a shot of Trump, and he’s shared a string of posts railing against immigrants and Democratic politicians.
Correction: This story originally misstated Mileur’s place of residence — it’s Wasilla, not Anchorage.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
