MN Man Helped Rioters Breach Police Line In Jan. 6 Attacks: Feds

BLUE EARTH, MN — A Blue Earth, Minnesota man was arrested and charged this week by federal authorities in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol.

The actions of Paul Orta Jr., 34, and others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to count the electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Orta was charged with felony-level obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder. He also faces the misdemeanor charges of entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.

Orta was arrested on Tuesday in Minnesota and will make his initial appearance in the District of Minnesota on Wednesday, authorities said. He is at least the 13th Minnesotan charged in the Jan. 6 attacks.

A review of open-source videos and body-worn camera footage showed Orta wearing a balaclava and gloves inside the restricted perimeter on the west side of the Capitol, according to investigators.

Orta was recorded tossing a section of black metal barricade onto the ground and calling to the remaining crowd beyond the perimeter to move forward, prosecutors said.

At about 12:50 p.m. rioters overwhelmed officers at the Peace Monument entrance and began to move onto Capitol grounds, and law enforcement was forced to retreat, authorities said.

According to investigators, Orta joined the crowd and exclaimed, "We’re taking that s— today!"

Police took a new position behind temporary metal bike racks used for crowd control. Orta approached the line of officers and joined with others in the crowd as they pulled the bike racks away from law enforcement, prosecutors said.

Orta removed at least two sections of the bike rack and threw them over a concrete wall, authorities said.

Orta’s actions deprived the officers of barricades that were being used to control the crowd and made it easier for the crowd to unlawfully advance toward the Capitol, according to investigators.

"Within minutes," the crowd broke through the line of law enforcement officers, and Orta continued to move forward with the crowd as they entered the West Plaza of the Capitol, authorities said.

At about 1 p.m., Orta made his way to the front of the crowd, according to prosecutors.

Less than 20 minutes later, Orta was seen throwing an unknown, dark-colored object towards the police line on the west side of the Capitol, investigators said.

Law enforcement eventually reclaimed some ground. But just after 2 p.m., Orta was seen using his lowered left shoulder to push the line of officers, according to authorities.

The crowd again breached the police line and made it to the Lower and Upper West Terraces. At this point, Orta climbed on top of a concrete wall and raised his fist in the air, investigators said.

Read the full complaint against Orta below: