Two brothers from Illinois were arrested for allegedly assaulting officers during the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Federal agents arrested Daniel Leyden, 55, of Chicago, and Joseph Leyden, 56, of La Grange, on Tuesday. The brothers were charged with a series of felonies and misdemeanors, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington.
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The Leydens made their initial appearances Tuesday afternoon in federal court in Chicago and were ordered released on personal recognizance bonds.
The men are among over two dozen Illinoisans who have been charged in the Capitol breach, an ongoing investigation that has been described by prosecutors as the largest criminal investigation in the country’s history. More than 860 people have been arrested for crimes related to the insurrection, the statement said.
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“Their actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election,” according to the statement.
Federal prosecutors charged both men with interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder, a felony, as well as four related misdemeanors.
[ 19 people from Illinois have been charged for taking part in the US Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021 ]
Daniel Leyden was also charged with a felony for assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon. He was with a crowd that confronted officers at the Peace Circle.
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He and other rioters repeatedly lifted and pushed a metal barricade that ultimately toppled and pinned an officer and the barricade was also used to attack other officers, including one who was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion, according to the statement.
“Daniel Leyden’s actions contributed to injuries that these officers sustained and prevented officers from defending themselves and providing aid to one another,” the statement said.
His brother was also charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement officers.
“Joseph Leyden advanced and rushed toward an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department. He then lunged at and pushed the officer,” according to the statement.
The two men will be prosecuted by the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Agents from the FBI Chicago field office helped identify the two men, according to the statement.
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jsheridan@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @jakesheridan_
