New Hampshire postal worker and former correctional officer Jason Riddle first won national attention when he was captured on video drinking a bottle of wine inside the Capitol building during the Jan. 6 riot. But he has since told the FBI he also stole a leather-bound volume from the Senate Parliamentarianâs office, then sold it outside, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday in federal court.
Riddle told agents he took the tome from a desk, and âdescribed it as old looking, bound in reddish-brown leather, and [said] it was âlike a dictionary.ââ After spending about 30 minutes inside, Riddle said he left and sold the book, which he remembered being titled âsomething to the effect of âSenate Chambers,ââ to an unknown man outside for $40. Riddle later tried to delete any incriminating evidence from his phone, according to the complaint. It didnât work. One of the photos agents say they found on Riddleâs device appeared to be the âold looking, bound reddish brown leather bookâ that Riddle described, which was titled âSenate Procedure.â
Riddle is charged with entering a restricted building without lawful authority, theft of government property, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. He does not yet have a lawyer listed in court records.