Former Marine ordered to remain in custody pending trial for Capitol riots

Caught on video spraying a chemical irritant at more than a dozen police officers during the Capitol riots, a former U.S. Marine was recently ordered to remain in custody until his trial in Washington, D.C.

On January 6, Daniel Ray Caldwell was recorded on a YouTube video spraying an orange mist at approximately 15 Capitol police officers who had formed a barricade to protect the Capitol building. According to the criminal complaint against the former Marine, Caldwell was seen in a second video about two hours later admitting to using pepper spray on the police officers.

Using cellphone records and hotel bills, federal investigators confirmed that Caldwell had booked a reservation at the Renaissance Hotel on January 5. On February 10, FBI agents arrested Caldwell in Richardson, Texas.

Caldwell was charged with seven counts, including civil disorder; assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon; entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon: engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

Last week, U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly Priest Johnson ordered Caldwell to remain behind bars pending his trial in Washington, D.C. Judge Johnson stated in her ruling that no conditions of release would “reasonably assure the safety” of the community.

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