I once heard it said that just because you “are” a character, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you “have” character. Sometimes, as is likely in this case, it just means you’re an entitled fuck with a severe case of affluenza...
Department of Justice
Vincent J. Gillespie, 60, of Athol, Massachusetts, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, civil disorder, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and related offenses. He was arrested in Athol, Massachusetts, and will make his initial appearance today in the District of Massachusetts.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, from at least 4:11 p.m. to at least 4:25 p.m., Gillespie was among rioters in the Lower West Terrance of the Capitol who engaged in pushing, shoving, yelling, and fighting with law enforcement officers. He struggled his way through the crowd, eventually maneuvering through the rioters to the line of police officers defending the Lower West Terrace’s exterior door. At one point, he gained control of a police shield as he approached the officers. Gillespie used the shield to ram the law enforcement officers, continuing to scream “traitor” and “treason” at the police. He also grabbed a law enforcement officer by the arm and attempted to pull him into the crowd.
Vincent J. Gillespie lives off an inheritance, holds a degree in engineering, and spends his time fighting for “causes” he believes in... Obviously the peaceful transfer of power in American government is not one of them!
As usual here’s a link to the Criminal Complaint, but a bit out of the ordinary today is this blockquote from the Statement of Facts. It looks as if there might have been a mad scramble in town to see who could turn him in first...
FBI Boston sought the public’s assistance through a media campaign and received multiple tips from the public identifying GILLESPIE. Tips included that an individual wearing a sweatshirt with the Berkshire Nautilus (a Pittsfield, MA fitness club) logo was involved in the riot. Other tips included Witness 1, a former neighbor of GILLESPIE; Witness 2, who works at an American Automobile Association (“AAA”) location in MA and recognized GILLESPIE from visits to AAA; Witnesses 3, 4, and 5 are employees of the Town of Athol, where GILLESPIE resides and frequently attends meetings and pays his tax bills at the Town Hall; and Witness 6, the manager of a local hardware store GILLESPIE visits.
Mass Live
Ever hear the one about the guy who took a parking ticket all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court?
Probably never happened, but Vincent Gillespie has come close.
How close?
Try the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. When that didn't work, Gillespie brought his parking ticket case to the state Legislature, which crafted a bill that didn't quite make it to the House floor by the end of its session this week.
According to that article he also has “interesting theories about the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001” and “the world's hidden power structure.”
I’ll bet he does… Unfortunately the link they gave to his website no longer works.
CBS Boston
The Justice Department on Friday announced the arrest of an Athol man in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riot. Sixty-year-old Vincent J. Gillespie is charged with assaulting law enforcement and accused of using a police shield “to ram into officers.”
(snip)
Prosecutors said Gillespie was wearing a sweatshirt with the logo of a Pittsfield fitness club. They said six witnesses, including a former neighbor and town employees of Athol, where Gillespie “frequently attends meetings,” positively identified Gillespie in surveillance images.
FBI Boston said this is the 14th arrest they’ve made in the area in connection with the riot, which occurred during the counting of electoral votes. More than 750 have been arrested on charges related to breaching the Capitol, including at least 235 accused of assaulting or impeding police.
It looks like Vinny hasn’t exactly been fully cooperative with investigators… I wonder why that might be?
Telegram & Gazette
Appearing via Zoom from a courthouse holding area, a yellow surgical mask hugging his chin, Gillespie was indecisive about whether he would like to proceed in Worcester or go to Washington, D.C., for the next step of the legal process.
Informed that he could attend upcoming hearings via Zoom, he remarked he would need to procure a new computer, saying, "They’ve taken my laptop."
Defense lawyer Timothy G. Watkins, who was appointed for the purposes of Friday's hearing, told Hennessy it appears Gillespie did not qualify for a court-appointed lawyer — a consideration that is based on income.
At one point during the hearing, Hennessy ordered Gillespie to provide the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services office information about his roommate after an officer said Gillespie had been reluctant to do so.
The FBI continues to seek the public’s assistance in identifying individuals who participated in unlawful conduct during the Capitol Insurrection. New images are added frequently...
If you have information about individuals who participated in the largest assault on police officers in U.S. history at the Capitol Riot on January 6th, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or leave a tip online at the FBI’s website.
If you just can’t get enough information about the terrorists who tried to usurp our democracy, then these links are for you…
Department of Justice Capitol Breach Cases
FBI US Capitol Violence Most Wanted
Insider Searchable Table
George Washington University Spreadsheet — Updated Daily
NPR — Updated Database
seditiontracker.com
ProPublica Capitol Riot videos lifted from Parler
KUMU — Capitol Riot Insurrectionist Networks
Just Security — January 6th Clearinghouse
The Trace — Capitol Riot Gun Arrests
USA Today January 6 Capitol Riot Arrests