Kentucky man due in court on charges related to the U.S. Capitol riots
A Kentucky man charged with four crimes in connection to the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots is scheduled to appear in federal court for a hearing on Tuesday.
Michael Orangias, 36, is facing charges of entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct In a capitol building; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol building, according to court records and the FBI.
He was taken into federal custody in March and was released on a personal recognizance bond. Under the bond, Orangias, of Louisville, must notify the court whenever he travels outside of the jurisdiction of the Western District of Kentucky courts. He is also prohibited from entering Washington, D.C., except for court business and attorney meetings.
According to court records, on or about Jan. 12, the Louisville Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives received an anonymous tip that two KCC International employees took a vacation day on Jan. 6 and attended the rally at the Capitol.
The tip identified one of the employees as Orangias and said he may have entered the Capitol.
The FBI found an episode of the “Wildly Uninteresting Podcast” in which Orangias was interviewed and admitted to being at the Capitol on Jan. 6. When asked what the point of the rally was, he responded, “To keep America good ... Keeping the freedom of speech there ... If we let the left continue what they’re doing, they’re going to keep taking more and more,” according to court records.
The records say that on or about Jan. 15, when interviewed by an agent, Orangias admitted to being in attendance at the rally but “denied doing anything wrong and denied going into the U.S. Capitol building.” Orangias told the agent that he remained at the Capitol for around an hour but never went inside the building.
During another interview with the agent, Orangias admitted he had entered the building, saying he stayed in the entryway for approximately five to seven minutes before exiting.
According to court records, Orangias recorded a video on his cell phone while inside the Capitol Building, and U.S. Capitol Police video footage showed him entering the building and exiting after approximately five minutes.
The hearing is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. During his arraignment in June, Orangias pleaded not guilty to all counts.
More than 10 Kentuckians have been charged with ties to the riots. They facing a variety of allegations, including breaking a glass window in the door to the Speaker’s Lobby moments before a woman was fatally shot by police, spraying mace at a police officer and dragging an officer down stairs.