Government'S Memorandum in Support of Pre-Trial Detention
Government'S Memorandum in Support of Pre-Trial Detention
Government'S Memorandum in Support of Pre-Trial Detention
The United States of America, by and through its attorney, the United States Attorney for
the Middle District of Tennessee, respectfully files this memorandum in support of pre-trial
detention. The defendant, Eric MUNCHEL, traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend the “Stop the
Steal” rally on or about January 6, 2021, where he intended to protest the outcome of the 2020
Presidential election. MUNCHEL was prepared for conflict: as he told a reporter, he was ready to
“rise up” and “fight if necessary.” After the rally concluded, MUNCHEL—who was dressed in
tactical gear and carried a taser on his hip, and stashed other “weapons” in a tactical bag outside
the Capitol—unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol along with a mob of rioters who smashed
windows and broke through doors. MUNCHEL gleefully acquired several sets of plastic handcuffs
as he walked through the Capitol and entered the Senate chamber, where only moments earlier the
Vice President of the United States was certifying the results of the 2020 Presidential election. In
the Senate gallery, MUNCHEL stood with a crowd whose members shouted “Treason!” and
lamented the disappearance of lawmakers from the chamber moments earlier. MUNCHEL’s
conduct here was dangerous and extremely serious. This Court should adopt the recommendation
On January 10, 2021, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of Columbia G. Michael
Harvey issued a Criminal Complaint charging MUNCHEL with one count each of Knowingly
of 18 U.S.C. § 1752(a), and Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds, in violation
of 40 U.S.C. § 5104(e)(2). MUNCHEL made his initial appearance in the Middle District of
Tennessee on January 11, 2021. (ECF Doc. No. 2.) At that time, the government requested that
On January 15, 2021, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of Columbia Zia M. Faruqui
issued a Criminal Complaint charging MUNCHEL with the offenses above, as well as two
additional offenses, namely, Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and Civil Disorders, in
violation of 18 U.S.C. § 231(a)(3). That Complaint charges the defendant’s mother, Lisa Eisenhart,
The government seeks MUNCHEL’s continued detention pending trial in this matter on
the grounds that he is a danger to the community and a serious risk of flight.
II. There is Probable Cause to Believe that MUNCHEL Committed the Offenses in the
Complaint
“If a defendant is charged with an offense other than a petty offense, a magistrate judge
must conduct a preliminary hearing unless” the defendant waives the hearing or is indicted. Fed.
R. Crim. P. 5.1(a). 1 “At the preliminary hearing, the defendant may cross-examine adverse
witnesses and may introduce evidence but may not object to evidence on the ground that it was
1
There are other circumstances in which a defendant is not entitled to a preliminary hearing, but they do not
apply here. See Fed. R. Crim. P. 5.1(a)(3)-(5).
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believe an offense has been committed and the defendant committed it, the magistrate judge must
U.S.C. § 231(a)(3), the government must show (1) that a civil disorder existed at the time of any
alleged violation; (2) that such civil disorder was resulting in interference with a federally protected
function; (3) that one or more law enforcement officers were lawfully engaged in the lawful
performance of their official duties incident to and during the commission of such civil disorder;
(4) that the defendant attempted to commit an act for the intended purpose of obstructing,
impeding, or interfering, either by himself or with someone else, in a violent manner with such
law enforcement officer or officers; and (5) that such attempt to act was done willfully and
knowingly. United States v. Casper, 541 F.2d 1275, 1276 (8th Cir. 1976).
To prove a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1752(a), the government must show that the
defendant’s conduct satisfies at least one of the subsections of § 1752(a). At least three
need only find at the preliminary hearing that the government has satisfied one of these subsections
to find that the government has established probable cause for a violation of § 1752(a). See, e.g.,
United States v. Bursey, 416 F.3d 301, 309 (4th Cir. 2005) (“The Statute require[s] only that [the
defendant] refrain from ‘willfully and knowingly . . . enter[ing] or remain[ing] in any posted,
cordoned off, or otherwise restricted area of . . . grounds where the President or other person
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To prove a violation of 40 U.S.C. § 5104(e)(2), the government must show that the
defendant’s conduct satisfies at least one of the subsections of § 5104(e)(2). At least five
subsections—(A), (B), (C), (D), and (G)—are implicated by MUNCHEL’s conduct, although the
Court need only find at the preliminary hearing that the government has satisfied one of these
subsections to find that the government has established probable cause for a violation of §
5104(e)(2).
Lastly, to prove a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, the government must show “an agreement
or more of the conspirators to effect the object of the conspiracy.” United States v. Dolt, 27 F.3d
235, 238-39 (6th Cir. 1994); see also Sixth Circuit Pattern Jury Instr. 3.01A (“Conspiracy to
Here, the government has submitted a statement in support of the criminal complaint
establishing probable cause to believe that MUNCHEL, while dressed in tactical gear and carrying
a taser and plastic handcuffs, roamed the U.S. Capitol for the purpose of, at a minimum, disrupting
the counting of the Electoral College vote, over which Vice President Mike Pence was presiding.
The allegations underlying the complaint also establish that MUNCHEL and Eisenhart followed
after two Capitol Police officers while carrying these handcuffs, and that Eisenhart appears to have
shouted at the officers while leaning over a banister. At the preliminary hearing, the government
anticipates calling a law enforcement witness to adopt the representations in the statement in
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conduct in this case. That witness will also be available for cross-examination by the defense.
Presuming that the government establishes probable cause to believe that MUNCHEL
U.S.C. § 5104(e)(2), the government also anticipates that it will establish that detention is
appropriate under 18 U.S.C. §§ 3142(f)(1)(A) and (f)(2)(A), for the reasons below.
There are at least three statutory bases for detention in this case. First, this Court may detain
a defendant upon motion of the attorney for the Government in a case that involves a crime of
violence. 18 U.S.C. § 3142(f)(1)(A). The term “crime of violence” means, among other things,
“any . . . offense that is a felony and that, by its nature, involves a substantial risk that physical
force against the person or property of another may be used in the course of committing the
or deadly weapon as outlined in § 1752(b)(1)(A) makes this case one that involves a crime of
violence.
Second, the Court may detain a defendant upon motion of the attorney for the Government
in a case that involves “any felony that is not otherwise a crime of violence . . . that involves the
U.S.C. § 3142(f)(1)(E). Thus, even assuming that this Court found § 1752(a) not to be a crime of
violence, it is nevertheless a felony (on the facts alleged here) that involves the possession or use
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in a case that involves a serious risk that such person will flee. 18 U.S.C. § 3142(f)(2)(A).
The government bears the burden of persuasion on the issue of pretrial detention. United
States v. Stone, 608 F.3d 939, 945 (6th Cir. 2010). In determining whether the government has met
its burden of persuasion, this Court must consider four factors: (1) the nature and circumstances
of the offense charged, including whether, for example, the offense is a crime of violence; (2) the
weight of the evidence against the defendant; (3) the history and characteristics of the defendant;
and (4) the nature and seriousness of the danger to any person or the community that would be
Stone, 608 F.3d at 945. When “risk of flight” is the basis for detention, however, the government
must only satisfy a preponderance of the evidence standard. United States v. Xulam, 84 F.3d 441,
442 (D.C. Cir. 1996); United States v. Chimurenga, 760 F.2d 400, 405-06 (2d Cir. 1985); United
States v. Fortna, 769 F.2d 243, 250 (5th Cir. 1985); United States v. Orta, 760 F.2d 887, 891 (8th
Cir. 1985); United States v. Motamedi, 767 F.2d 1403, 1406 (9th Cir. 1985).
For the reasons below, these factors weigh in favor of detention in this case.
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On or about January 4, 2021, MUNCHEL and Eisenhart traveled from Nashville to the
Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C., to participate in the “Stop the Steal” rally scheduled for
January 6, 2021. (Subpoenaed records from the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. establish
that Eisenhart rented a hotel room on January 4, 2021, and that she checked out of the room on
January 7, 2021.) MUNCHEL and Eisenhart made no secret of their intentions in traveling to
Washington: they told a reporter for The Sunday Times that they made the trip because they
“wanted to show that we’re willing to rise up, band together[,] and fight if necessary. Same as our
forefathers, who established this country in 1776.” (See Exh. A, The Sunday Times Article.)
MUNCHEL thus perceived himself to be a revolutionary, in the mold of those who overthrew the
On January 6, 2021—the day of the rally—the exterior plaza of the U.S. Capitol was closed
to members of the public, because a joint session of the United States Congress had convened at
the United States Capitol. The Capitol is located at First Street, SE, in Washington, D.C., and is
secured 24 hours a day by Capitol Police. Restrictions around the Capitol include permanent and
2
“[C]onducting a bail hearing by proffer is acceptable under the law and at the discretion of the
district court.” Stone, 608 F.3d at 949-50 (citation omitted); see also United States v. Smith, 79 F.3d 1208,
1210 (D.C. Cir. 1996) (“Every circuit to have considered the matter . . . [has] permitted the Government to
proceed by way of proffer.”) (citing cases). Here, because MUNCHEL is entitled to a preliminary hearing,
the government anticipates introducing testimonial and documentary evidence in addition to the proffered
evidence outlined below. The government notes further that the investigation in this case is a developing
one, and that the government continues to learn new information on a near-daily basis. To the extent that
the government learns any information affecting the representations in this filing in a material way, the
government will apprise the Court of that information.
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During the joint session, elected members of the United States House of Representatives
and the United States Senate were meeting in separate chambers of the Capitol to certify the vote
count of the Electoral College of the 2020 Presidential Election, which had taken place on
November 3, 2020. The joint session began at approximately 1:00 p.m. Vice President Mike Pence
Meanwhile, attendees at the “Stop the Steal” rally, including MUNCHEL and Eisenhart,
began making their way to the Capitol. MUNCHEL later explained to the Times reporter that his
actions in marching to and entering the Capitol were intended as a show of force: he said that their
storming of the Capitol was “a kind of flexing of muscles.” MUNCHEL claimed, however, that
by entering the Capitol, he did not intend to “fight the police”; he said instead that “[t]he point of
getting inside the building is to show them that we can, and we will.”
With the joint session underway and with Vice President Mike Pence presiding, a large
crowd, including MUNCHEL and Eisenhart, gathered outside the Capitol. Temporary and
permanent barricades surround the exterior of the Capitol. Capitol police were present and
attempting to keep the crowd away from the Capitol buildings and the proceedings underway
inside. At approximately 2:00 p.m., certain individuals in the crowd forced their way through, up,
and over the barricades and officers of the Capitol Police, and the crowd advanced to the exterior
façade of the building. At such time, the joint session was still underway and the exterior doors
and windows of the Capitol were locked or otherwise secured. Members of the Capitol Police
attempted to maintain order and keep the crowd from entering the Capitol. Shortly after 2:00 p.m.,
however, individuals in the crowd forced entry into the Capitol, including by breaking windows.
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claimed to the Times reporter that she and MUNCHEL entered the Capitol as “observers,” and
that MUNCHEL told Eisenhart not to touch anything while inside. But when MUNCHEL entered
the Capitol, he was dressed for combat: he wore combat boots, military fatigues, a tactical vest,
gloves, and a gaiter that covered all of his face except for his eyes. MUNCHEL had also armed
himself with a taser on his hip. And MUNCHEL had mounted a red iPhone to his chest, ostensibly
Eisenhart was dressed for combat as well, wearing a tactical vest over her flannel shirt:
In the photograph depicting MUNCHEL and Eisenhart before they entered the Capitol,
neither of them was carrying plastic handcuffs, also known as “flex cuffs.” But still captures of
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handcuffs:
The photograph of MUNCHEL hopping a guardrail in the Senate chamber also depicts
MUNCHEL carrying white plastic handcuffs. And at no point in their conversation with the Times
reporter did MUNCHEL or Eisenhart mention that they both carried plastic handcuffs through the
halls of Congress. Notably, MUNCHEL told the Times reporter that he had left his guns in
Tennessee because of the “strict” guns laws in Washington—the implication being that
MUNCHEL would have been armed with a firearm had Washington’s gun laws not been in place.
And, as described below, there is evidence that MUNCHEL and Eisenhart were armed with
MUNCHEL and Eisenhart left Washington, D.C. for Nashville on January 7, 2021. But
MUNCHEL and Eisenhart made clear in their interview with the Times that they have no intention
of abandoning their goals of revolution. MUNCHEL lamented the ability of pro-Trump groups to
organize, in part due to their removal from mainstream social media sites. Eisenhart agreed,
explaining that “The left has everything: the media, organizations, the government. We have to
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was willing to die for that cause, explaining: “This country was founded on revolution. If they’re
going to take every legitimate means from us, and we can’t even express ourselves on the internet,
we won’t even be able to speak freely, what is America for? I’d rather die as a 57-year-old woman
than live under oppression. I’d rather die and would rather fight.”
On the evening of January 8, 2021, persons using social media began identifying various
clues on social media and elsewhere, which pointed to MUNCHEL as the person depicted in the
Senate chamber wearing tactical gear and carrying plastic handcuffs. In the photographs above,
MUNCHEL is wearing or displaying several distinctive items, including: (1) a black baseball cap
depicting a rifle and a flag, with writing on the left side of the cap near the back of the cap; (2) a
patch on the center of his chest displaying the “Punisher” comic book character, as well as a
Tennessee “thin blue line” patch depicting the State of Tennessee bisected by a horizontal blue
line; and (3) a long-sleeve shirt in a fatigues pattern with black rectangles on the upper sleeves.
MUNCHEL is also depicted walking alongside Eisenhart outside the Capitol, wearing the same
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is no longer accessible.
MUNCHEL is depicted in the circular Facebook photo above wearing what appears to be
a white t-shirt with the words “Kid Rock” or something similar on the left breast. “Kid Rock’s Big
Ass Honky Tonk” is a bar located in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. On an Instagram post from
August 18, 2020, MUNCHEL is depicted wearing what appears to be a white t-shirt with the words
“Kid Rock” or something similar on the left breast. MUNCHEL also appears to have one or more
Before MUNCHEL’s Facebook page was taken down, various actors on social media
sought to capture screen shots of MUNCHEL depicted online. Those screen shots included a
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cap depicting a rifle and a flag; wearing one or more brown wristbands on his right wrist; and
Those screen shots also included MUNCHEL, holding an American flag and a shotgun, standing
in front of a television playing a statement by President Trump; a baseball cap depicting a rifle and
a flag is resting on a small desk behind him; and wearing one or more brown wristbands on his
right wrist:
On or about January 6, 2021, after the riot at the Capitol, MUNCHEL was also recorded
on a LiveStream video in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt. Screen captures of that video, reproduced
below, depict MUNCHEL wearing a long-sleeved shirt in a fatigues pattern with black rectangle
on the upper sleeves, and a dark baseball cap with writing on the left side of the cap near the back
of the cap:
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Hotel. One of the officers observed a black holster on MUNCHEL’s right hip, along with the black
grip of what appeared to the officer at that time to be a firearm. Officers spoke with MUNCHEL,
who permitted the officers to remove the item from the holster. Officers determined the item to be
a black and yellow “Taser Pulse” taser, which was designed to administer an electrical shock.
MUNCHEL informed the officers that he possessed the taser for his own protection as he
participated in what he described as the First Amendment assemblies at the pro-Trump rally.
MUNCHEL was identified at that time by his Tennessee concealed weapons permit. The home
address listed for MUNCHEL in the Metropolitan Police Department’s police paperwork as a
result of this police contact and taser seizure, furthermore, is nearly identical to MUNCHEL’s
Based in part upon the information above, the government obtained a federal search
warrant for MUNCHEL’s residence in Nashville on January 9, 2021. Federal agents began visual
surveillance of the residence that same day. At approximately 6:00 p.m., a federal agent observed
a person the agent believed to be MUNCHEL arrive in a red Kia Sentra registered to Eisenhart and
enter the residence. At approximately 6:00 a.m. on January 10, 2021, FBI agents with the Joint
Terrorism Task Force executed the search warrant at the residence. MUNCHEL was not present.
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During an interview with W-1 that followed, W-1 informed agents that W-1 and
MUNCHEL lived at the residence. W-1 informed agents further that MUNCHEL and Eisenhart
traveled to Washington, D.C. on or about January 6, 2021, to attend the pro-Trump rally scheduled
on that date. W-1 informed agents that W-1 did not travel to Washington, D.C. with MUNCHEL
W-1 informed agents that MUNCHEL and Eisenhart returned from Washington, D.C. to
the residence on January 7, 2021. W-1 informed agents that Eisenhart left the residence on January
8, 2021. W-1 informed agents further that MUNCHEL left the residence on the morning of January
9, 2021, and informed W-1 that he was going to work. Some time later that day, MUNCHEL’s
manager called W-1, inquiring about MUNCHEL’s whereabouts, as MUNCHEL had not come
into work that day. W-1 later spoke with MUNCHEL by telephone; MUNCHEL told W-1 that he
was “OK,” but did not offer additional details about where he was located or whether he was with
anyone.
Inside the residence, agents located the items MUNCHEL was depicted wearing in the
photograph above in the Senate chamber, including the tactical vest with a patch on the center of
the chest displaying the “Punisher” comic book character and the Tennessee “thin blue line” patch
depicting the State of Tennessee bisected by a horizontal blue line; a baseball cap depicting a rifle
and a flag, with writing on the left side of the cap near the back of the cap; and five pairs of white
plastic handcuffs:
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the vest Eisenhart appeared to be wearing at the Capitol. W-1 informed agents that all of these
items belonged to MUNCHEL. W-1 informed agents that a bedroom inside the residence was
MUNCHEL’s bedroom. Agents located a black Stack-On safe, standing approximately 5 feet tall,
inside that bedroom. Inside a closet in the bedroom, agents also located a .22 caliber revolver.
Agents also located dozens of rounds of ammunition inside the bedroom, along with multiple
Based on the information above, the government obtained a federal search warrant to
search the premises, as well as the black Stack-On safe located inside the premises, for (among
other things) firearms, firearms, parts and ammunition. During a search of the black Stack-On safe,
agents located approximately 15 firearms, including assault rifles, a sniper rifle with a tripod, other
rifles, shotguns, and pistols, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Agents also located a drum-
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that MUNCHEL had provided a red iPhone to a friend, W-2, for “safekeeping.” W-2 also reported
that MUNCHEL told W-2 that the photograph that had been circulating of a male wearing tactical
gear and jumping over a railing in the U.S. Senate chamber was MUNCHEL. Agents later seized
D. The Videotape
Law enforcement recovered a video that MUNCHEL took on his iPhone on January 6,
2021. That video—captured using the cell phone MUNCHEL mounted to his chest—depicts
MUNCHEL standing with Eisenhart in a large crowd outside the Capitol. As MUNCHEL and
Eisenhart make their way to the Capitol, they encounter several members of the “Oathkeepers,” a
militia group that is distrustful of government authority. One of the Oathkeepers says, “There’s 65
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Capitol. At that time, Eisenhart says, “We’re going straight to federal prison if we go in there with
weapons.” MUNCHEL says words to the effect of, “Yeah, that’s why I’m not going in there.”
Eisenhart replies, “Let’s go put it—we can put ‘em in the backpacks.” MUNCHEL and Eisenhart
then walk towards a low stone wall, where MUNCHEL sets up plastic chairs and encourages
protestors to climb over the wall towards the Capitol and helps them do so. Eisenhart likewise
encourages protesters to enter the Capitol, exhorting them, “Yeah, go up in there. You can go up
in there now.” Moments later, MUNCHEL says he needs to “take my weapons off before I go in
there.” MUNCHEL and Eisenhart retreat through the crowd, to a location where a tactical bag and
other items appear to have been stashed. At that location, MUNCHEL and Eisenhart take items
off of their person and deposit those items in or near the bag. Eisenhart can then be heard to say,
“We’re going in,” “the [tear] gas isn’t bad,” and “Let’s go in, let’s go in.”
As MUNCHEL and Eisenhart get closer to the Capitol, an unknown woman can be heard
to make a reference to “treason.” MUNCHEL replies, “Hell yeah it is.” As they push through the
crowd, Eisenhart engages with a rioter who tells her that he was “maced,” and that he “punched
two of them in the face,” to which Eisenhart replies, “Good.” Eisenhart says further, “While
everyone else is on their couch, you guys are training, and getting ready for it.” Eisenhart also tells
MUNCHEL that someone in the crowd was saying that the events at the Capitol were “on the
news”; MUNCHEL replies in part, “Oh yeah.” MUNCHEL says further, “They’re gonna use this
against us as hard as they can.” Eisenhart replies, “I don’t care, that’s fine, I don’t care.”
MUNCHEL asserts, “We ain’t playing fucking nice no god damn more.” Eisenhart replies, “That’s
right.” Moments later, a person in the crowd tells MUNCHEL and Eisenhart, “You guys look like
y’all ready to go.” MUNCHEL replies, “Fucking ready to fuck shit up.”
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“Congress is shut down! Tear gas packages thrown in the Congress!” Eisenhart exclaims, “They
got tear-gassed, motherfuckers! Oh my God. That is [unintelligible] my best day, to know that they
got tear-gassed.” Other people in the crowd can be heard screaming, “Fuck that, this is our house!”
As MUNCHEL and Eisenhart crawl through a broken metal guardrail outside the Capitol,
As MUNCHEL and Eisenhart approach the exterior of the Capitol, Eisenhart remarks,
“The story of how we got in is going to be great—who got us in the house.” MUNCHEL replies,
“Probably the last time I’ll be able to enter the building with armor and . . . fucking weapons.” It
is then possible to hear the sounds of shattering glass and breaking windows, at which time
MUNCHEL shouts, “I guess they thought we were playing!” MUNCHEL and Eisenhart then enter
the Capitol amidst a throng of protestors and make their way to the upstairs level. They encounter
a man shouting, “Treason!” into a bullhorn, and Eisenhart joins the chant. MUNCHEL informs
various rioters, “Don’t break shit,” and “No vandalizing shit,” and “We ain’t no god damn Antifa,
motherfuckers.”
At one point, MUNCHEL spots plastic handcuffs on a table inside a hallway in the Capitol.
MUNCHEL exclaims, “Zipties. I need to get me some of them motherfuckers,” and grabs several
white plastic handcuffs from on top of a cabinet (but leaves many others). MUNCHEL then follows
after Eisenhart, who is carrying a handcuff as well, to a staircase near the entrance to the Senate
gallery; it appears from Capitol surveillance video that Eisenhart is following after two Capitol
Police officers who had just encountered a mob outside the entrance to the Senate gallery.
Eisenhart shouts from the banister, “Freedom!” “Traitors!” “We want a fair election!” and “We
want rule of law!” MUNCHEL and Eisenhart then enter the Senate gallery; chillingly, persons in
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go?” “They’re cowards!” “Are you afraid?” and “Treason!” Eisenhart is depicted shouting
“Treason!” as well. Just before MUNCHEL and Eisenhart leave the gallery, MUNCHEL shouts,
“I want that fucking gavel!” Lastly, as MUNCHEL and Eisenhart are attempting to leave,
Eisenhart says words to the effect of, “Don’t carry the zip ties, just get ‘em out of their hand, out
The government has met its burden of showing that there is clear and convincing evidence
that MUNCHEL should be detained pending trial to ensure the safety of the community. The
government has also met its burden of showing by a preponderance of the evidence that
The nature and circumstances of the offense charged in this case militate strongly in favor
of detention. MUNCHEL has been charged with an extremely serious offense, arising from his
entry into the Capitol with a violent mob while dressed in tactical gear and armed with a taser, to
disrupt the counting of the Electoral College votes from the 2020 Presidential election.
MUNCHEL also seized several pairs of white plastic handcuffs and carried them around with him
while inside the Capitol; he appears to have brought them back to Nashville with him, perhaps as
trophies. MUNCHEL also made statements evincing an intent to engage in violent conduct
because of his disillusionment with the outcome of the 2020 Presidential election. And the uprising
MUNCHEL engaged in has also resulted in at least five deaths, including of a Capitol police officer
who died after engaging in a physical confrontation with members of the mob.
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the possible penalty MUNCHEL faces upon conviction. See United States v. Townsend, 897 F.2d
989, 995 (9th Cir. 1990). Here, MUNCHEL faces a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of
20 years, if convicted of the charges in the complaint. This time period represents a substantial
penalty, which would serve as powerful motivation for MUNCHEL to flee the jurisdiction were
The weight of the evidence of MUNCHEL’s dangerousness is strong. As set forth more
fully in Section V.C below, MUNCHEL has a history of contacts with law enforcement.
unknown “weapons” before entering the Capitol, carrying a taser on his person into the Senate
gallery, and seizing handcuffs as he and others stormed the building—also demonstrates the danger
he poses to the community if released. This factor thus weighs in favor of detention as well.
MUNCHEL has had several prior contacts with law enforcement. According to the Pretrial
Services Report, MUNCHEL was arrested for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana in
Fulton County, Georgia, on November 24, 2011. That case was dismissed on June 30, 2014.
MUNCHEL was again arrested for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, in Dunwoody,
Georgia, on March 24, 2013. MUNCHEL was convicted on April 29, 2014, and sentenced to 12
months’ probation. MUNCHEL was arrested for battery in Fulton County on May 30, 2013. That
case was dismissed on August 5, 2015. Lastly, MUNCHEL was arrested for possession of less
than one ounce of marijuana in Dunwoody on March 27, 2014. He failed to appear on March 31,
3
“This factor goes to the weight of the evidence of dangerousness, not the weight of the evidence of the
defendant’s guilt.” Stone, 608 F.3d at 948 (citation omitted).
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possession offense on April 29, 2014, and was sentenced to 12 months’ probation. 4 MUNCHEL
thus has a history, although it is not extensive, of contacts with law enforcement, including multiple
convictions for misdemeanor drug offenses and at least one instance of failing to appear for a court
For reasons already cited related to the charged conduct, MUNCHEL poses a serious
danger to the community. His release in this case would therefore compromise the safety of the
E. Risk of Flight
the charges in the complaint. MUNCHEL also has a record of failing to appear on at least one prior
occasion in a state-court matter. Furthermore, MUNCHEL took steps in this case to evade
detection by law enforcement. When it became clear he was a suspect in this case, he deactivated
his Facebook account; gave his cell phone to an associate; and left his residence and failed to show
up for his job without telling W-1 where he was going. MUNCHEL only turned himself in to law
enforcement when it became clear that the FBI had searched his residence and had an arrest warrant
for him—in other words, when his apprehension was all but inevitable. For these reasons, this
Court should find by a preponderance of the evidence that MUNCHEL poses a serious risk of
4
The representations in this section are based upon the government’s review of the Pretrial Services Report,
the National Crime Information Center record for the defendant, Tennessee law enforcement databases, and other
criminal history materials for the defendant. The government has not yet obtained certified copies of all of the
defendant’s prior convictions.
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For the foregoing reasons, as well as any reasons which may be set forth at a hearing on
this motion, the government respectfully submits that there exists no condition or combination of
conditions which would assure the safety of any person or the community, or which would ensure
the defendant’s appearance at his court hearings. Accordingly, the government requests that the
In the event that the Court elects to release MUNCHEL pending trial, the government
makes two requests. First, the government requests that the Court include in its release order that
the defendant (1) be ordered to wear a GPS tracking device; (2) stay away from Washington, D.C.,
unless he is appearing for court, meeting with pretrial services, or consulting with his attorney; (3)
call pretrial services once per week; (4) advise pretrial services of any travel he intends to
undertake within the United States outside of the Middle District of Tennessee; (5) not travel
outside of the continental United States without court approval; and (6) participate in all future
proceedings as directed. Second, the government requests that the Court stay any release order so
that the government may file a motion for revocation of the release order with the court having
original jurisdiction over the offenses, namely, the United States District Court for the District of
Respectfully submitted,
DONALD Q. COCHRAN
United States Attorney
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I hereby certify that on January 20, 2021, I sent a copy of the foregoing via the Court’s
electronic filing system to Caryll Alpert, Esq., counsel for the defendant.
s/ Ben Schrader
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Joe Biden
Wednesday’s storming of the Capitol was a ‘warning shot’, said one participant
SAUL LOEB
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“This demonstration was a warning shot from we the people,” said Jay Perez,
who had travelled from New York City for the “stop the steal” march in
Washington last Wednesday.
“It shows that people are awakening, they’re ready to defend America no
matter what the deep state of this country or the world order puppets want. This
is World War Three.”
Last Thursday morning, as metal fencing was hastily erected around the
Capitol and pressured police hunted the perpetrators, conspiracy theorists and
fired-up right-wing fanatics from across the country discussed their “last
chance to save America” in the shadow of the Washington Monument. Many
pledged to return for another pro-Trump march scheduled to coincide with Joe
Biden’s inauguration on January 20, which Trump himself has now vowed to
avoid.
“We wanted to show that we’re willing to rise up, band together and fight if
necessary. Same as our forefathers, who established this country in 1776,” said
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Eric Munchel, who had driven from Nashville, Tennessee, with his mother,
Lisa Eisenhart.
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The pair were among the crowd who flooded the Capitol the previous
afternoon but claimed that they left as soon as demonstrators talked about
stealing laptops and government papers. Eisenhart stressed to me that they had
gone into the building as “observers” – both wore bulletproof vests — and that
her son had told her not to touch anything.
During our conversation, as they packed their car the following day to go
home, Munchel claimed that he had left his guns behind in Tennessee due to
strict gun laws in Washington but, unsurprisingly, didn’t mention that he had
been clutching a handful of plastic zip ties while storming the Capitol. These
are the restraints typically used by police to detain individuals, and it’s unclear
what Munchel’s intention was with them. The photograph led to speculation
that the rioters were potentially planning to take hostages. The riot left five
people, including a police officer, dead.
“It was a kind of flexing of muscles,” said Munchel, who wore a bulletproof
vest and complained that police confiscated his Taser during the riot. “The
intentions of going in were not to fight the police. The point of getting inside
the building is to show them that we can, and we will.”
Preparing for their 10-hour drive home, the 30-year-old clamoured for greater
organisation in the next steps to fight against Biden’s America. He worried that
many pro-Trump warriors were individualists and lamented that potential
leaders in the Make America Great Again (Maga) movement faced difficulty in
rallying troops due to banishment from mainstream social media sites. “Our
biggest struggle is getting together, knowing where to go, what to do and who
to go to,” said Munchel despondently.
His mother agreed: “The left has everything: the media, organisations, the
government. We have to organise if we’re going to fight back and be heard.”
Eisenhart, a nurse, added that a violent revolution has long been on the cards
thanks to last year’s racial justice protests, anti-police riots and “unnecessary”
coronavirus lockdowns.
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“Over two hundred years ago, our founding fathers fought for the rights and
liberties of this nation. Don’t let their efforts be in vain. Demand freedom. End
the corruption,” reads the poster. The small print suggests attendees “come
armed at your personal discretion”.
Meanwhile, other Trump loyalists last week were claiming, without evidence,
that left-wing antifa (anti-fascist) hooligans had purposefully disguised
themselves in Trump merchandise before violently overrunning the Capitol.
“Antifa stormed the Capitol to make us look bad and it just pisses me off,” said
Londa Gatt, a member of Bikers for Trump who had travelled from Michigan
and was puzzlingly optimistic that Biden, 78, would not be taking power later
this month.
“The hopes, and what I feel in my heart, is that the military is going to arrest
these all traitors that committed treason and that Trump is going to take office,”
she said. “I’m not even one bit concerned.”
“Wow, what an absolute punch in the gut,” read one post on TheDonald, a
forum where the president’s devotees have plotted how to keep their man in
power. “He says it’s going to be wild, and when it gets wild, he calls it a
heinous attack and middle-fingers his supporters that he told to be there.
Unbelievable.”
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“People were willing to die for this man and he just threw them all under the
bus. That’s the only thing that’s shameful about the events of the past 36
hours,” Nicholas Fuentes, a far-right commentator, wrote to his 133,347
followers on Twitter. “I’m sure the usual suspects suggested that this was a
good idea, I hope Trump reverses course, for our sake.”
One Capitol invader carried plastic zip ties, suggesting a plan to take hostages
Many loitering outside the Capitol last week viewed this as an exciting
prospect. “Either they give up the fraudulent election they had or America
mobilises,” said Travis Wright, who drove 24 hours from Denver, Colorado, to
protest last week. “I’ll be here for [the inauguration] one way or the other,
whether it’s to see my president, 45th president Donald J Trump, take that
stand, or whether it’s to stand against the fake Joe Biden.”
Wright, who sells knives and axes for a living, talked about burning America
down “to build it back better”, and predicted further violence. “You’ll finally
see the Trump supporters truly take a stand and take it to the streets. People
want to sit there and call riots therapeutic for Black Lives Matter and antifa.
We’ll start calling it therapeutic for us because it’ll be us getting our anger out
at that point.”
Some Trump supporters expressed fear about the prospect of a “civil war
where you’re shooting your brothers, your family”, while others just seemed
excited at the idea of more violent uprisings.
“January 20 should be interesting. Let’s see what happens, but it will be more
history, I guess,” said a man with a tattoo of a knuckle duster and a symbol of
3%, which relates to a militia group named after the disputed claim that only
3% of American colonists took up arms against Great Britain in the American
War of Independence.
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“The fact that we had a bunch of our traitors in office hunker down, put on
their gas masks and retreat into their underground bunker, I consider that a
win,” Angeli, 32, told NBC News as he fled Washington by car on Thursday.
The police are also seeking Jon Schaffer, a guitarist with Iced Earth, a
successful rock band, who was photographed inside the government building.
Others were pictured carrying the Confederate flag and wearing clothing with
horrifying antisemitic messages.
He hoped for a “true insurgent” to “take out” Biden. “I don’t believe he’s our
president. He’s not my president and he definitely won fraudulently,” he said,
standing beside a stall selling “Stop the steal” baseball caps.
For Bobby, a property developer who travelled from Indiana with his wife and
six children for the pro-Trump march, the seizing of the Capitol was the
beginning of an uprising. “It’s going to take a shaking to wake up people, you
know; yesterday at the Capitol, that there was a small tremor,” he said. “If we
were to go into a war situation, I could protect my children more in that aspect
than I can from letting their beliefs be threatened by our school systems and by
our government.”
He added that he was willing to die to “protect his freedoms — if you don’t
have that mentality that you’re willing to give up your life for what you believe
in, then get the hell out of here”, he said.
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“In the case of the Million Militia March these groups, who have agendas to
create disruption, will piggyback and try to create a big tent to bring in as many
protesters as possible, and they tend not to be terribly picky about who joins
the party. Clearly, that’s a concern,” said Jonathan Vick, the North American
representative from the International Network Against Cyber Hate, which
campaigns against extremism online.
Last week’s fatal riot will likely add momentum for further attacks, warned
Vick: “We’re already seeing that the people who, unfortunately, were killed are
now being cast as martyrs, and so that is absolutely fuel for additional violence
and additional actions by people looking for an excuse.”
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The crowd pulsed with a blend of fury and anticipation. If clues were needed, the clues were there — writ large, It had seemed a good idea at the time: storm the US
From above the protesters, on the scaffolding erected in open public forums, for all to see. An abundance of Capitol, swing from the Senate balcony, sit in the vice-
for the inauguration, a single... Comments are subject tosocial media posts
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January 10 2021, 12.01am GMT January 08 2021, 12.00pm GMT January 09 2021, 12.00pm GMT
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