A retired NYPD officer who allegedly played a tambourine in the halls of the Capitol Building during the Jan. 6 riot is facing several misdemeanor charges, according to the FBI.
Sara Carpenter, 51, turned herself into federal authorities and appeared before a federal judge in the New York City borough of Brooklyn on Tuesday, according to NBC New York.
Carpenter faces charges of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
The misdemeanors stem from the riot in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, when a mob of Donald Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol Building in an effort to stop the certification of the presidential election. Five people died as a result of the violence, including a Capitol police officer.
The FBI alleges that Carpenter was seen jangling a tambourine while she walked through the Capitol, according to NBC New York.
The Queens woman was interviewed by FBI agents in January and a judge authorized a search warrant of her in March. Security footage from the Capitol and text messages allegedly sent by Carpenter tied her to the crimes, NBC New York reported.
Carpenter is a ten year veteran of the NYPD who first joined in 1994 and retired in 2004, according to NYPD detective Sophia Mason.
Carpenter is among a number of former law enforcement officers who have been accused of participating in the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.
At least one other former NYPD officer, Thomas Webster, was accused in February by federal prosecutors of using a flagpole as a weapon during the riot.
Carpenter did not immediately respond to an NBC News request for comment.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
