MIDLAND — Retired FBI supervisor Andy Bartnowak told 7 Action News that a continuous stream of tips helps the FBI continue to arrest individuals connected to the January 6 riots, 2 1/2 years later.
Most recently tips have led them to the arrest of 28-year-old Jeremy Rodgers from Midland.
"I think the majority of people, regardless of what side of the political aisle you’re on, can agree that what happened there was absolutely wrong," said Bartnowak.
According a release from the Department of Justice, Rodgers is charged with eight felony offenses for allegedly assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon on restricted grounds.
Bartnowak shared, "Assaulting a police officer is a federal crime, it’s a felony, and there’s an enhanced penalty. In this case he used a deadly weapon, he used a flag pole. This was just a criminal action."
The release states that on January 6, 2021, Rodgers, carrying a blue flag attached to a wooden flagpole, approached a line of law enforcement officers and used his flagpole to hit a U.S. capitol police officer three times.
He then allegedly struck down the flagpole twice more in the direction of other officers and allegedly used the pole to gain access to the capitol and strike down doors.
The Department of Justice stated that Rodgers was arrested in Orlando, Florida.
According to the Midland Daily News during Rodgers time in Michigan he unsuccessfully sought election to the Midland City Council in 2018 and 2020.
He's cited as a recognized presence during republican campaigns.
In a Facebook post this weekend the Midland County Republican Party said these are serious charges and political violence has no place in our constitutional republic.
"By no means is the FBI done investigating this," said Bartnowak. "It’s certainly not a closed matter at this point. As long as tips continue to come in, the FBI will continue to investigate."
