Victorville Gym Owner Arrested for Involvement in the Capitol Riot

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LOS ANGELES, Ca. – A Victorville resident, and owner of The Gym in the City of Victorville was arrested for being involved in the U.S. Capitol riot.

Jacob Lewis, 37, was arrested on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, Department of Justice officials said. The arrest came after, according to the criminal complaint, Lewis was turned in by an instagram follower on January 8, 2021, and by a friend on January 11, 2021. The Instagram follower reported that Lewis posted videos from the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 on his personal Instagram account: @jdl_333. The tip from a person who identified themselves as a friend of Lewis’ came by telephone. The informant said that during a conversation he/she had with Lewis in December 2020, he said,”watch what happens to the capitol”. At some point he also showed them pictures of firearms and asked if they could get him ammunition. They said they have never seen him with guns and did not hear him making any clear threats of violence regarding the January 6, 2021 incident.

Lewis agreed to an interview at his home in the City of Victorville regarding his involvement in the Capitol riot. Lewis explained that he traveled from California to Washington, D.C. and arrived on January 4, 2021. The trip was expected to last from January 4th to the 7th. He told interviewers that he attended President Trump’s rally on January 6, 2021. He admitted to walking toward the capitol and entering with a group of people into the already-breached Capitol building. He said that he was never told he could not enter and he was “escorted” by police inside the building. He said that he was never involved in any violence. He also stated that he believed that some of those involved were “Antifa members in disguise”.

Lewis also verified that the reported Instagram account belonged to him. The video footage was reviewed and footage shared by other Instagram users. The videos which were posted by other Instagram users showed a person believed to be Lewis, dressed in the same clothing Lewis said that he was wearing on January 6, 2021, blue jeans, black jacket and a red beanie. The person who is believed to be Lewis, was seen breaching the Senate Wing Door to the Capitol Building at around 2:56 p.m. He was also shown walking by the House Wing Doors, through the Hall of Columns, through the Crypt and exiting out the South Door at 3:03 p.m. The complaint also states that a police escort was never witnessed in any of the footage.

Lewis is known to speak out politically against California Governor Newsom as he refused to close his gym during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lewis according to the complaint is being charged with knowingly entering any restricted building without lawful authority and disrupting government business. Lewis was released on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled for a February 10, 2021, virtual appearance.