Hackettstown man arrested for alleged role in Capitol riots

A Hackettstown man is among the latest to be arrested in his alleged role in the United States Capitol riots.

News 12 Staff

Mar 9, 2021, 4:03 AM

Updated 1,331 days ago

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A Hackettstown man is among the latest to be arrested in his alleged role in the United States Capitol riots.
Roberto Minuta was arrested this weekend and is facing a slew of charges for his alleged actions on Jan. 6, when rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol. He is the owner of a tattoo shop in New York.
Photos obtained from the criminal complaint show Minuta in tactical gear as he allegedly breached the Capitol. His preliminary hearing was held virtually Monday afternoon in White Plains Federal Court.
Minuta was charged with entering a restricted building, obstructing an official proceeding and destroying evidence in a case - charges that could still net him some significant jail time.
Prosecutors believed Minuta could be a threat to the public because of the language he used in some of his social media posts, and because of his connection to the Oath Keepers, an anti-government organization with some militia ties. It was a group that had a large presence at the Capitol riots.
The judge disagreed, calling the charges “serious,” but let Minuta out of jail on a $150,000 bond.
Minuta made headlines last May when he defied an executive order from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo by opening his tattoo parlor before the governor's order permitted it.