Salem Man Accused Of Throwing Object At Cops, Stealing Helmet During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

CONCORD, NH — Another man from the Granite State has been arrested on charges connected to the siege at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021.

Richard Zachary Ackerman, 22, of Salem was charged in U.S. District Court in Concord on Tuesday with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers; civil disorder; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; and theft of government property charges. He was accused of accessing the building from the lower west terrace and, while inside, found a U.S. Capitol Police helmet and put it on.

“Later in the day,” a U.S. Attorney’s report stated, “while wearing the helmet, Ackerman is accused of throwing a water bottle toward the entrance to the tunnel, where a line of police officers was positioned.”

Court records said Ackerman referred to the helmet as his “war trophy.” The FBI said he took the helmet with him back to New Hampshire. The department retrieved it from Ackerman’s home in June 2022.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated more than 1,000 people had been arrested for crimes connected to the Capitol incident. Ackerman is the fourth person from New Hampshire to be charged in connection with the rioting.

Thomas Gallagher of Bridgewater pleaded guilty to one charge of parading, demonstrating, or picketing and was sentenced to probation in October 2021. Kirstyn Niemela of Hudson was sentenced to 11 months in prison after being found guilty by a jury on four charges in January. And Jason Riddle of Keene pleaded guilty to theft of government property and parading-demonstrating and was sent to jail for 90 days in April 2022.

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