A man was arrested in the nation's capital with "loaded handgun and ammunition inauguration credentials," CNN reported Saturday. US Capitol Police arrested a Virginia man as he attempted to pass through a police checkpoint in a locked-down zone of downtown Washington, DC, Friday with "unauthorized" inaugural credentials, an unregistered handgun and over 500 rounds of ammunition, according to court documents. This comes as security is tightened in the nation's capital days ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration with 25,000 National Guards members deployed on the ground as several checkpoints have been set up and military vehicles present. DC Police Chief Robert Contee said earlier "there's a major security threat, and we are working to mitigate those threats." Shortly after 6:30 p.m., Wesley Allen Beeler, 31, stopped at the checkpoint just north of the Capitol building, according to a police affidavit made public Saturday, and presented the credential that was "not authorized to enter the restricted area." Beeler was released from custody Saturday after a brief court appearance in Washington, DC, Superior Court. A law enforcement official said that investigators do not consider him a threat to public safety. When police asked Beeler if he was carrying any weapons, Beeler told them he had a Glock semi-automatic pistol in the center armrest, according to the court document, which noted that the gun was loaded. Police later recovered the pistol, as well as 509 rounds of ammunition, shotgun shells and a magazine for the handgun, according to an incident report provided by the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department. Beeler was arrested for possession of an unregistered firearm and possession of unregistered ammunition, among other offenses, the report said. CNN had originally reported that the credential Beeler presented was "fake," citing the law enforcement official, but the affidavit released Saturday described it as "unauthorized." Capitol Police spokeswoman Eva Malecki said Beeler had presented "a non-government issued credential." In an interview, Beeler's mother, Charlotte Beeler, said that her son worked in armed security and had been on a job in the Capitol area for the past few days. He was ordered to stay out of DC except for in-person court appointments and meetings with his lawyer. Government prosecutors had not opposed his release under the conditions. Beeler appeared via video conference in the hearing wearing a dark jacket and a face mask. He spoke only briefly, once telling a judge "yes, ma'am," when asked if he understood the conditions of his release. He is scheduled to return to court in June. DC and states around the country are on high alert and tightening security in preparation for possible protests ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday. Federal investigators, meanwhile, continue to chase thousands of leads in efforts to prosecute people involved in the deadly US Capitol riot and try to prevent follow-up attacks. Meanwhile, the Senate is preparing for an impeachment trial after the House voted to impeach President Trump for inciting the Capitol riot. House Speaker Pelosi is expected to send the impeachment article to the Senate next week. Authorities in Houston Friday arrested a popular far-right Internet celebrity accused of livestreaming his storming of the US Capitol on Jan. 6, the Justice Department said. Anthime Joseph Gionet, who goes by the username "Baked Alaska" on social media, was filming as he traipsed through the halls of the building and into private offices, at one point putting his feet up on a table, at another point turning his phone around to show his own face, according to an FBI affidavit. Gionet is charged with unlawfully entering the building and disorderly conduct while inside. It wasn't clear whether he had retained legal representation on Saturday, and his case has not yet been publicly listed in online court filings. At one point, the affidavit says, Gionet told a law enforcement officer while inside the Capitol that he was a member of the media. He is later heard on the video accusing a law enforcement officer of shoving him. That claim was not backed up on the video, according to the affidavit. Veep-elect Harris will be sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be sworn in Wednesday by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, according to a Harris aide. She'll take her oath of office using two Bibles, one that previously belonged to Regina Shelton and another which belonged to the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Harris has credited Shelton with being like a second mother to her, as she often visited Shelton's house daily after school along with her sister Maya. And for Marshall, Harris has often said he was one of the inspirations for her legal career. Harris used Shelton's Bible to be sworn as California's attorney general, the aide added. — Agencies
