A man branded as the #FacePaintBlowhard by online investigators tracking Capitol riot suspects has been ordered by a judge to remain incarcerated as he awaits trial, Law&Crime reports.
Samuel Lazar, 35, has been accused by prosecutors of dousing police with pepper spray on Jan. 6.
“They maced us, those tyrannical pieces of sh*t, and we maced them right the f**k back and now they’re taking the building,” Lazar is quoted saying in a video cited in an FBI affidavit.
From Law&Crime:
Seen clad in a camouflaged tactical vest, black hooded sweatshirt, and blue jeans, Lazar had a patch over his chest with the words: “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle,” according to the complaint. The online collective Sedition Hunters gave Lazar his memorable nickname.
Prosecutors say that Lazar referred to that patch in his video rant.
“They attacked the people. We have a right to defend ourselves. Fuck the tyrants. There’s a time for peace and there’s a time for war,” Lazar said while pointing at the patch, according to an FBI affidavit.
[U.S. Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather] found that Lazar was charged with felonies and said that his gear and chemical spray signaled advanced planning.
Justice Department attorney Douglas Collyer told the judge that Lazar had a pattern of “escalating criminal behavior,” starting with the petty offenses of his youth that prosecutors itemized in a legal brief requesting his detention.
Lazar’s criminal record, history with firearms, and online activity leading up to the Capitol riot prompted Judge Meriweather to find that he poses an “ongoing danger” to the community.
