Joshua K. Youngerman faces charges in the Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol. (Photos from court documents)
A 23-year-old California man who climbed a rope at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and carried a “Black Voices for Trump” flag faces charges in connection with his participation in the attack, authorities said.
Joshua Kaleb Youngerman is charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct, including stepping or climbing on an architectural feature on Capitol grounds, authorities said in a news release.
He allegedly went on Telegram to talk with “The DC Brigade,” a group set up to “serve as the Comms for able bodied individuals” who planned to travel to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.
“Many of us have not met before and we are all ready and willing to be engaged in this fight,” the “About” section of the group stated, authorities said. “We will come together for this moment that we are called upon.”
Authorities said Youngerman spent time spreading former President Donald Trump’s lies about a stolen election on his Twitter account, @fakejoshuayoung, which was suspended by the social media company shortly after Jan. 6. Court documents said he allegedly called for an “audit” of the 2020 presidential election results and advocated for the “#StopTheSteal” movement.
“There is definitely election fraud going on,” Youngerman allegedly wrote in one post on Nov. 4, 2020.
“We will keep on fighting till we have secure confidence in this election or the truth is revealed for the world to see. #StopTheSteal #StopTheSteal2020 #FightBack,” he allegedly wrote in another.
On Dec. 17, 2020, in response to a post about a Supreme Court decision regarding the 2020 election results, Youngerman said, “Then I guess us Patriots will just riot then. Show what their actions has caused.”
Federal investigators say he planned his trip to Washington with other Trump supporters on Telegram, allegedly introducing himself by saying he had “[n]o police nor military experience,” but he “had to throw hands on multiple occasions and have a little bit of MMA training.”
He also said he’d be armed, court documents said.
“I’ll be bringing a couple knives and whatever other self defense tools I can get my hands on,” he allegedly added.
Wearing a red hat, gray jacket, red undershirt, camouflage pants, and carrying a black and white flag that read “Black Voices for Trump,” he was seen in closed-circuit video climbing a rope up a wall leading to a stairway on the northwest side of the Capitol building, court documents said. He was allegedly seen on video in the Capitol building at 2:37 p.m. and leaving two minutes later.
Youngerman wrote about his time at the Capitol on social media, court documents said.
“I am in full support of storming and occupying the Capital from the inside and out,” he allegedly wrote in a post. “That was the original intent for many. We came to claim back our house.”
Youngerman was arrested last July.
Youngerman confirmed to FBI agents at a field office in San Diego on June 28, 2021, that he was invited into multiple Telegram groups by the “DC Brigade” group owner whom he met at a local protest, according to a statement of facts outlining the case.
He allegedly said the groups discussed travel, meetups, handheld radios, and protester safety against counterprotesters. He also told agents he did not enter the Capitol building, court documents said.
In the 39 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,387 people have been charged with crimes related to the Capitol breach, authorities said.
Youngerman’s public defender did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Law&Crime. His arraignment was set for April 30.
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