PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – A federal judge has ordered a Tampa man arrested on federal firearms charges and for taking part in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol to stay in jail as he awaits trial.
Prosecutors say 47-year-old Jeremy Michael Brown is a self-identified member of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group.
“Jeremy Brown was charged separately under two complaints: USAO-District of Columbia and USAO-Middle District of Florida,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in an email to 8 On Your Side.
One complaint charges Brown with entering and remaining in a restricted building and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building during the Capitol riot.
The second complaint charges him with possession of unregistered firearms after federal agents executed a search warrant at his home last week.
According to the FBI Criminal Complaint police body-worn camera video shows, Brown came dressed in full military gear, had zip ties and surgical trauma shears.
According to the complaint, another defendant who pled guilty in the Oath Keepers conspiracy case told investigators he went to Brown’s home on Jan 4 in preparation for traveling to Washington, D.C.
When federal agents searched his home on Sept. 30, they found a short barrel rifle, sawed-off shotgun and two hand grenades.
Jon Lewis is a research fellow from the George Washington University Program on Extremism that is tracking more than 600 capitol riot criminal cases.
“This is one of the more serious cases that we’ve been tracking so far,” Lewis said. “Both, because obviously the firearms as well as the allegations that he was not just an individual who traveled on his own, but was part of this broader conspiracy of Oath Keepers who traveled to the Capitol to allegedly disrupt the certification of the election.”
In federal court Tuesday, prosecutors argued Brown is a danger to the community and the judge agreed to keep him detained as he awaits trial for the federal firearms charges.
The judge supported his decision by citing a handwritten threat against law enforcement that federal agents found in front of his house.
“Dear FBI/DHS/USMS/HCSO, Re-read your oath. You are being used as a pawn by enemies of this Republic and your liberties,” the message said. It also warned those agencies if they come back to “bring a bigger tactical package.”
Court documents said Brown previously served on active duty in the U.S. Army Special Forces.
According to the GW Program on Extremism, Florida is home to 69 defendants facing charges connected to the FBI and DOJ Jan. 6 investigation – that is ten more than the next state, Texas.
