Barry Saturday, a resident of Lexington, Kentucky, finds himself facing serious federal charges, including disorderly conduct, for his alleged involvement in the tumultuous events of January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol.
Federal law enforcement officers arrested Saturday on Tuesday, employing surveillance footage and various videos captured during the riot to identify him.
The criminal complaint against Saturday states that he was observed on camera near the lower west terrace of the Capitol, where a group of rioters attempted to forcibly enter the building.
Specifically, around 2:54 p.m., Saturday was captured on camera just outside the tunnel. Approximately two minutes later, at 2:56 p.m., he was seen taking pictures of other rioters’ attempts to breach the police line.
As events unfolded, at 3:15 p.m., video evidence reveals Saturday actively participating in pushing against the backs of fellow rioters. He put his head down to brace himself, joining the heave-ho against the line of police officers at the end of the tunnel, according to the criminal complaint.
Tragically, law enforcement officers were caught in the back of the tunnel as a result of the rioters’ forceful efforts to break through the police line.
However, the tide eventually turned, and law enforcement successfully managed to force the rioters out of the tunnel. During this ordeal, Saturday appeared on camera in distress, seemingly affected by pepper spray. Later, he reemerged at the mouth of the tunnel. As law enforcement sought to push the rioters out, two individuals from the mob seized control of two police officers. Although Saturday followed the rioters who had the officers, the complaint clarifies that he did not physically harm them.
Undeterred, law enforcement continued to gain ground on the rioters, and Saturday returned to the tunnel multiple times, as noted in the criminal indictment.
At approximately 4:18 p.m., Saturday was once again captured on video inside the tunnel, participating in another effort to push law enforcement back, according to court documents.
Through the utilization of facial recognition software, the FBI successfully tracked down Saturday. His photographs, previously appearing in the Lexington Herald-Leader and other public websites, aided in his identification. Additionally, the FBI had previously interviewed Saturday in 2018 and 2019 regarding a cybercrime incident. Agents confirmed his identity through surveillance photos.
Further evidence emerged from cell phone records, which indicated that Saturday was present in both restricted and unrestricted areas of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, as per court records.
In addition to his recent council candidacy in May 2022, Saturday had previously run for council in 2016, though he ultimately withdrew from the race.
Given the severity of the charges against him, Saturday faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each of the four counts. His court appearance is scheduled for August 16.