Unregistered Gun Silencers Tied To Falls Church Man Facing Jan. 6 Riot Charges

FALLS CHURCH, VA — A Falls Church man who is accused of being part of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach and discussed antisemitic beliefs with an undercover FBI agent was convicted by a jury in federal court for unregistered gun silencers.

Hatchet Speed, 41, is a Navy reserve petty officer who joined the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol as part of the Proud Boys, according to the Washington Post. He faces a trial in DC federal court after a not guilty plea to charges in relation to the U.S. Capitol breach.

Charges include entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building.

Speed previously worked for a Vienna-based defense and intelligence contractor before resigning, according to the Post.

In the latest case in Virginia federal court, Speed was accused of having unregistered silencers. According to prosecutors, Hatchet Speed, 41, started "panic buying" guns in early 2021. Speed spent at least $40,000 at stores selling guns, gun accessories, and ammunition.

One of the purchases was three silencers marketed as "solvent traps" to be used to clean the barrel of a gun. In reality, they were silencers not registered as required in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. By not registering the silencers, Speed was able to receive them within a week of his purchase.

The items were discussed when Speed met with an undercover FBI agent in early 2022. Prosecutors say Speed discussed antisemitic and anti-government beliefs, as well as taking action to further his beliefs. Speed reportedly praised jihadists and praised their approach to "wipe out" opposition, which is what he called Jewish people.

Speed also discussed identifying "reachable" targets and considered a "mock trial" to determine which people to add to his list. The discussion involved Speed discussing his "solvent traps," which were gun silencers in reality, factoring into his plan.

Speed will be sentenced on April 13 and faces up to 30 years in prison.