A January 6 rioter who allegedly used an “electroshock weapon” to attack Metropolitan Police officer Michael Fannon and then bragged about the attack to friends is expected to plead guilty on Tuesday to related charges.
“Omg I did so much f—ing s—rn and I’ll tell you later,” said Daniel “D.J.” Rodriguez, of Fontana, California, wrote in a group chat with other rioters, according to an indictment filed in federal court in Washington. “F Tazzzzed — out of the blue.”
Rodriguez is charged with eight federal counts, including obstructing an official proceeding; obstructing, obstructing or interfering with a law enforcement officer during the commission of a civil disorder; and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.
His case was to come up for hearing this month.
Another rioter involved in the attack on Fanon, an Iowa man named Kyle Young who brought his 16-year-old son with him to the Capitol, was sentenced in September to more than seven years in prison.
Prosecutors said Rodriguez and another California man, Edward Badalion, were part of a Telegram group chat called the “Patriots 45 MAGA Gang.” The indictment described the chat as “a platform for advocating violence against certain groups and individuals who either support the results of the 2020 presidential election, groups perceived as liberal, or communist ideologies.” leads, or supports positions of authority in government.”
Badalian posted on the chat that he planned to drive to DC and said “we need to violently remove traitors,” according to the indictment. Rodriguez posted that he was in: “Congress can hang. I will do it. Please let us get these people dear god,” he wrote. Prosecutors said they left Los Angeles for DC in a van on January 3 with other protesters.
Badalian “said in chats that he had respirators, masks, snow goggles, knee pads and baseball helmets for the group,” the indictment said, adding that they joined a “caravan” of other protesters along the way.
Court filings say the pair attended then-President Donald Trump’s rally at the Ellipse before going to the Capitol and had a walkie-talkie.
When violence broke out on the Capitol grounds, prosecutors said Rodriguez was involved. The indictment states that he “threw a flagpole at the police line” and “deployed a fire extinguisher at the officers”.
Another rioter gave Rodriguez a stun gun, which he used on Fanon when the crowd moved forward and surrounded the officer. “Fanon subsequently lost consciousness and was later transported to the Washington Hospital Center to be treated for his injuries,” the feds said.
Fanon suffered a heart attack and a traumatic brain injury during the attack, and resigned from the police department in December 2021, having served for 20 years.
Badalian has pleaded not guilty and a hearing is scheduled for February 27.
At least 985 people have been arrested and 500 pleaded guilty in connection with the January 6 riots, according to information released this month by the US Attorney’s Office in Washington, DC.