The January 6 Capitol riots have led to the largest criminal investigation in FBI history, with 725 defendants facing charges.

Mohammed Ali Political Editor

How the January 6 Capitol riots led to the largest criminal investigation in FBI history

Jan 05, 2022

Mohammed Ali Political Editor

By Mohammed Ali (Political Editor), Emma Stoltzfus (Video Editor), Mohammed Ali (Producer)

The Jan. 6 riots at the US Capitol led to the largest FBI criminal investigation in U.S. history. It’s been a full year since protestors and extremist groups tried to stop Congress from officially affirming the 2020 presidential election results.

In that time, prosecutors have charged 725 defendants, according to the Department of Justice. Most of them were charged with entering or remaining in a restricted federal building or grounds. 165 have pleaded guilty. About 40 defendants face more severe conspiracy charges, including some from extremist groups like the Oath Keepers, Three Percenters and Proud Boys. So far, five of those defendants have pleaded guilty.

“Within ten weeks, we’re talking about I think close to a thousand search warrants, 1300 to 1500 grand jury subpoenas, 350 to 400 arrest warrants,” former Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael Sherwin told CBS News. “So just a number unseen before in any probably federal district in history.”

The FBI has studied thousands of hours of social media, body cam and security camera footage. In addition, its agents have asked the public for help. The Department of Justice set up a website for people to review 16 videos and dozens of pictures to help identify those wanted by the FBI. The FBI is looking for an additional 350 people believed to have committed violent acts – including assaulting 250 police officers and a few members of the media.

“It would not surprise me if there were cases charged in 2022 or 2023,” Sherwin said.

The FBI is also still looking for the pipe bomber who left devices at both the Democratic and Republican Parties headquarters.

Video from the four-hour event has a great deal to do with how this investigation became so large. The public also helped with hundreds of thousands of tips, including 237,000 digital media tips for the FBI to follow.

THE JANUARY 6^TH RIOT AT THE CAPITOL LED TO THE LARGEST FBI CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IN U-S HISTORY. AND IT IS STILL ON-GOING.

HOW DID IT GET TO BE SO BIG? LET’S TAKE A LOOK.

IT’S BEEN A FULL YEAR SINCE PROTESTORS AND EXTREMIST GROUPS TRIED TO STOP CONGRESS FROM OFFICIALLY AFFIRMING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS.

AND IN THAT TIME, PROSECUTORS CHARGED 725 DEFENDANTS…

MOST WITH ‘ENTERING OR REMAINING IN A RESTRICTED FEDERAL BUILDING OR GROUNDS’.

165 HAVE PLEADED GUILTY.

AND ABOUT 40 DEFENDANTS FACE MORE SEVERE CONSPIRACY CHARGES… INCLUDING SOME FROM THE OATH KEEPERS, THREE PERCENTERS AND PROUD BOYS.

SO FAR FIVE HAVE PLEADED GUILTY… ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

MICHAEL SHERWIN WAS THE TOP PROSECUTOR IN DC.

HE SPOKE WITH CBS NEWS ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THE INVESTIGATION GOT UNDERWAY.

Micheal Sherwin: “Within ten weeks, we’re talking about I think close to a thousand search warrants, 13 15hundred grand jury subpoenas, 350-400 arrest warrants. So just a number unseen before in any probably federal district in history.”

THE FBI STUDIED THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF SOCIAL MEDIA, BODY CAM AND SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE. THEY EVEN ASKED THE PUBLIC FOR HELP.

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SET UP A WEBSITE FOR PEOPLE TO REVIEW 16 VIDEOS AND DOZENS OF PICTURES TO SEE IF THEY CAN IDENTIFY THOSE WANTED BY THE FBI.

THEY ARE LOOKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL 350 PEOPLE BELIEVED TO HAVE COMMITTED VIOLENT ACTS – INCLUDING ASSAULTING 250 POLICE OFFICERS AND A FEW MEMEBERS OF THE MEDIA.

Michael Sherwin: “It would not surprise me if there were cases charged in 2022 or 2023.”

THE FBI IS ALSO STILL LOOKING FOR THE PIPE BOMBER WHO LEFT DEVICES AT BOTH THE DEMORACTIC AND REPUBLICAN PARTY HEADQUARTERS.

VIDEO FROM THE FOUR-HOUR EVENT HAS A GREAT DEAL TO DO WITH HOW THIS INVESTIGATON BECAME SO LARGE. BUT IN ADDITION, THE PUBLIC HELPED OUT… WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TIPS, INCLUDING 237,000 DIGITAL MEDIA TIPS FOR THE FBI TO FOLLOW.