COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Federal prosecutors have charged a Colorado Springs man in connection with the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Prosecutors in the District of Columbia charged Tyler Ethridge, 33, civil disorder, a felony, and related misdemeanor offenses. He was arrested Friday in Denver, and made an initial appearance in the District of Colorado, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Ethridge, a 2017 graduate of the Practical Government School at Andrew Wommack's Charis Bible College in Woodland Park, is accused of removing fencing on the Capitol's northwest approach and encouraging the crowd to keep fighting after he climbed a median, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors allege Ethridge entered the building at 2:35 p.m. and went to the Rotunda, where he filmed several videos that he posted on social media, according to court documents.
In one of the videos, Ethridge said "I don't want to say that what we're doing is right, but if the election is being stolen. What is it going to take?"
"I'm probably going to lose my job as pastor after this ... I think we're to a point where talk is cheap. If this makes me lose my reputation, I don't care."
On Jan. 6, Ethridge was a pastor at Christ-Center Church of Tampa in Dover, Florida. The congregation announced on Jan. 19 that he was no longer with the parish.
Attempts to reach the congregation for comment was unsuccessful on Friday.
In a Jan. 21, 2021, statement, Charis said it had “become aware that an alumnus was present in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6 to attend the Trump Rally,” but did not name Ethridge or acknowledge that he was inside the Capitol.
“Although the Ministry vigorously supports every citizen’s right to free speech and peaceful assembly, we adamantly oppose the violence or other violations of the law that occurred. In addition, we do not condone or teach insurrectionist practices in our School of Practical Government, but instead we encourage graduates to live out their faith as active and responsible citizens.”
Ethridge was in the Capitol building for 30 minutes and spent his time between the Rotunda and U.S. Senate chambers, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The Gazette previously reported that Ethridge said he put his faith in Trump "prophets" who predicted the former president would serve two terms.
Prosecutors said Ethridge remained active on social media following the insurrection and encouraged others to not be afraid of what's to come.
"Don't be afraid of what they sentence you with," Ethridge wrote on social media on Sept. 24, 2021. "I'm ready for whatever I'll be charged with. American is still primed and ready."
Ethridge's case is being investigated by the FBI's Denver Field Office and its Colorado Springs Resident Agency, the Dallas Field Office and its Abilene Resident Agency.
Since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 850 people from all 50 states have been arrested in connection to the insurrection at the Capitol. The investigation continues.
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