WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. Capitol Police officer has been indicted on obstruction of justice charges after prosecutors say he helped to hide evidence of a rioter's involvement in January’s insurrection.
The officer, Michael A. Riley, is accused of tipping off someone who participated in the riot by telling them to remove posts from Facebook that had shown the person inside the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press and NBC News.
Riley reportedly encouraged the unidentified person to remove incriminating photos and video from social media, telling the individual how the FBI was investigating to identify rioters.
Prosecutors say he had sent the person a message telling them that he was an officer with the police force who “agrees with your political stance."
On Jan. 6, Riley responded to a report of a pipe bomb, and he has been a Capitol Police officer for about 25 years.
A spokesman told NBC News that Riley has been placed on administrative leave pending the completion of the case, which is “standard procedure.”