UPSTATE— A South Carolina man was indicted today for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election. A second man, from Texas, was also indicted in the case on related charges.
George Amos Tenney III, 35, of Anderson, was indicted on three felony charges, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, civil disorder, and obstructing an official proceeding. as well six other misdemeanor charges. Darrell Youngers, 32, of Cleveland, Texas, is charged with four misdemeanor offenses. Both men were arrested on June 29, 2021, following the filing of a criminal complaint. They will be arraigned on a future date in the District of Columbia, according to Assistant US Attorney, Derek A. Shoemake.
According to court documents, before Jan. 6, Tenney wrote on Facebook, “It’s starting to look like we may siege the capital building [sic] and [C]ongress if the electoral votes don’t go right. We are forming plans for every scenario.”
Tenney and Youngers were captured on video as they moved through the U.S. Capitol together on Jan. 6, entering by approximately 2:19 p.m. through the Senate Wing Door. Tenney and Youngers eventually made their way to the East Rotunda Doors. While there, Tenney sought to force open the doors from inside, despite police efforts to keep them closed, and helped rioters amassed outside get into the building. He also grabbed an employee of the House Sergeant at Arms, locked arms with a U.S. Capitol Police officer, and pushed another Capitol Police officer, the report states. Tenney and Youngers eventually retreated into the Rotunda.
Shoemake said the case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and that valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Greenville, S.C. Resident Agency and Houston Field Office, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department. Significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police, he said.
In the nine months since Jan. 6, more than 650 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 190 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit www.tips.fbi.gov.