Former FBI Agent Arrested and Charged for Illegally Entering Capitol, Allegedly Inciting Violence Against Police
Federal prosecutors have filed charges against a former FBI agent, Jared L. Wise, for his involvement in the January 6 riot at the Capitol. According to the criminal complaint, Wise was arrested on Monday and is facing multiple misdemeanor counts, including trespassing and disrupting the orderly conduct of government. The arrest came after agents received a tip in January 2022, stating that Wise had been inside the Capitol during the riot.
During the incident, Wise allegedly called police officers Nazis, likening them to the feared secret police of Nazi Germany, the Gestapo. As violence escalated, he reportedly shouted at the rioters, encouraging them to kill the law enforcement officers present, repeatedly chanting, “Kill ’em! Kill ’em! Kill ’em!” After breaching the Capitol, Wise raised his arms in celebration and managed to escape through a window, as stated in the complaint.
While numerous individuals with military backgrounds have been apprehended in connection with the Capitol attack, it is uncommon for a former federal agent like Wise to face charges. The FBI located Wise initially in New Braunfels, Texas, before he later relocated to Bend, Oregon. Notably, Thomas E. Caldwell, a member of the Oath Keepers, previously worked with the FBI and was convicted of felony charges related to the January 6 riot. Additionally, Mark S. Ibrahim, an active-duty agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration, was charged in July 2021 in connection with the riot, with his case pending trial.
The Justice Department’s ongoing investigation into the Capitol attack, which has become its largest-ever investigation, has led to over 1,000 arrests, with the possibility of more to come. From 2004 to 2017, Wise worked on counterterrorism matters at the FBI’s New York field office. He was briefly assigned to assist in the investigation of the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, which claimed the lives of four Americans. Wise’s career at the FBI came to an end due to dissatisfaction with his performance, according to a former senior FBI official.
After leaving the bureau, Wise joined the conservative group Project Veritas, operating under the supervision of former British spy Richard Seddon. Seddon had been recruited by security contractor Erik Prince to train operatives for infiltrating trade unions, Democratic congressional campaigns, and other targets. At Project Veritas, Wise reportedly used the code name “Bendghazi” and underwent training at the Prince family ranch in Wyoming alongside other recruits. He was involved in an operation targeting a teachers’ union before reportedly leaving Project Veritas in mid-2018, according to a former employee with direct knowledge of the matter.
