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Sixth Illinoisan charged in connection with January 6 insurrection

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Illinois

A Springfield man who is alleged to have stormed the floor of the U.S. Senate during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol that interrupted the Electoral College vote faces federal charges.

Thomas B. Adams Jr., 39, of the 2800 block of Ridge Avenue, was in court at the Paul Findley Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse in Springfield Tuesday, charged with entering a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and obstructing an official proceeding, according to records filed in federal court.

Adams was released on his own recognizance.

* Sun-Times…

He is at least the sixth person from Illinois to face federal charges in connection with the riot. The charges against him were filed April 2 in federal court in Washington, D.C., records show.

An FBI special agent explained in a court affidavit that authorities first noticed Adams because of an interview he gave to the publication Insider following the riot. The article said Adams trampled over police barricades, made his way into the Capitol, and eventually reached the Senate chamber after lawmakers had been evacuated, according to the affidavit.

The article also quoted Adams as saying, “It was a really fun time,” and it said he described the scene as “hilarious.”

But only one day after the riot — on Jan. 7 — the FBI was already driving by Adams’ home in Springfield as part of its investigation, records show. An agent then interviewed Adams on Feb. 4, according to the affidavit.

* WICS…

Adams told authorities that, once inside the building, he thought to himself, “What are they going to do if a half a million people are here and standing inside of a building and want to be heard?”

He noted seeing people running into the building and grabbing things to take.

The suspect also recorded videos of himself and his friend inside the Capitol. […]

The Statement of Facts says that Adams confirmed that he was the person seen in this photo holding a Trump flag on the U.S. Senate floor.

The full criminal complaint is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 10:41 am

Comments

“charged with entering a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and obstructing an official proceeding *** Adams was released on his own recognizance.”

Someone make it make sense.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 10:47 am
Rich - can you let us use profanity for this one?

Comment by Paddyrollingstone Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 10:47 am
“Someone make it make sense.” He didn’t have an air freshener on his rear view mirror.

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 11:01 am
looks like we have enough from Illinois to do a map to see if there are connections. someone did a study of those arrested nationally and looked at the demographics from where these traitors came. the places have demographic issues in common.

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 11:05 am
*Any* comment from Batinick would be appreciated.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 11:06 am
Don’t like the reporting of street addresses of suspects in any such highly emotional cases. Why buy more trouble?

Comment by walker Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 11:24 am
Walker I don’t like the fact this guy tried to overthrow the government and overturn the results of an election. Maybe if he wanted privacy he shouldn’t have been doing video of his action.

Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 11:33 am
This is one of my lawn guys. I hope he enjoyed my BLM sign.

Comment by FIREDup!! Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 11:49 am
== walker - Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 11:24 am:

Don’t like the reporting of street addresses of suspects in any such highly emotional cases. Why buy more trouble?==

Maybe the next guy who tries to overthrow the government will think twice now?

Comment by So_Ill Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 11:50 am
I would be against reporting his home address if he were likely to be harmed by public reaction. I think enough time has passed in this case that it is unlikely anyone will seek to harm him. Light harassment and ridicule, perhaps. As it is, it is likely his home address and rootedness in the community that explains why he has been released on his own recognizance thus making his address relevant.

Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 11:53 am
“It was a really fun time”

I’ve known individuals who have done fed time. They didn’t describe it as such.

Comment by Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 11:54 am
Another maskless maroon from Illinois.

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 11:58 am
Was this guy just living “his dangerous freedoms” like the maskless guy from yesterday?

Comment by Chicago Blue Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 12:13 pm
Can we get some mugshot goodness?

Comment by NIref Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 12:15 pm
If I have neighbors who commit treason because it’s fun I want to know about it.

Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 12:17 pm
==“charged with entering a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and obstructing an official proceeding *** Adams was released on his own recognizance.”

Someone make it make sense.==

Washington D.C. has the presumption of pre-trial release in lieu of cash bail.

Comment by Nuke the Whales Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 12:21 pm
And this guy has people badgering certain local media sites about taking down posts about the story, claiming that they’re doing damage to him, “ruining him!”

Give me a break.

Oh, and if you look this guy up on Facebook, he was also foolish enough to post his “new cell phone number!”, so I wouldn’t be too worried about the inclusion of identifying information. He, in the same post with the phone number, told his Facebook friends that the FBI has the number “tapped” and that they should all talk about Trump.

Comment by Osborne Smith III Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 12:27 pm
Likely remains disappointed they didn’t overthrow the government… and the judge let’s him go on his own recognizance. The big lie that prompted all this needs to be stamped out by judges in dealing with this horrible incident.

Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 1:03 pm
I suspect the next government facility he spends significant time in will also have sort of a carnival atmosphere: bad food, atrocious smells, various depraved people barking enticing offers and all sorts of rides you won’t want to go on twice. Wonder if he’ll get a season pass?

Comment by Dysfunction Junction Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 1:06 pm
If I have a website that tells me if sex offenders live in my neighborhood, I think it’d be great to know if insurrectionists live in my neighborhood too.

Comment by Steve Rogers Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 1:15 pm
=Dysfunction Junction=

Top shelf.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 1:24 pm
= Washington D.C. has the presumption of pre-trial release in lieu of cash bail. =

Bond was set by a federal judge in Springfield, Illinois.

Comment by JoanP Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 1:26 pm
=== if you look this guy up on Facebook ===

I couldn’t resist.

Exactly what I expected to see.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 1:31 pm
Thanks, JS Mill. On a serious note, this guy lives in my town, through not my neighborhood. Like several others here, I feel better knowing who and where to steer clear of. Nice of him to post his pictures all over the Internet so we have a heads-up.

Comment by Dysfunction Junction Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 1:44 pm
I hope they nail this guys with the max sentence. As a moderate Republican…I will happily lose an election due to people like this not being able to vote since they’re…ya know…serving a prison sentence for insurrection.

Comment by CM Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 1:55 pm
For the record, this wasn’t his full home address, it was the block he lives on. And the 2800 block of Ridge Avenue is, in fact, a trailer court. Pretty big one, as I recall. Plus, there are probably a bunch of other Tom Adamses, living elsewhere in Springfield, who would rather not be confused with this (banned word).

Comment by Menardian Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 3:30 pm
His address was listed the exact same way any other charged person’s address would be listed. Either you argue for all addresses to be listed (or as Menardian stated, a block address) or none at all. But I have no problem with him being treated the exact same way as any other person being charged with a crime.

Comment by MyTwoCents Thursday, Apr 15, 21 @ 5:20 pm